Study highlights global power of Scottish renewables

Scottish renewable energy firms are active in more than 40 countries and have been involved in projects worth about £125 million, research published today has revealed.

Scotland's renewable energy firms are exporting their expertise around the globe. Picture: John Devlin

Glasgow-based industry body Scottish Renewables said the businesses cover every continent except Antarctica, employing staff in 22 of the countries. It highlighted work such as Irvine-based crane company Windhoist installing more than 4,800 wind turbines in the likes of South Africa, Morocco, Australia and Belgium, as well as Orkney’s European Marine Energy Centre being called on to plan for the development of a wave and tidal energy industry in Japan.

Jenny Hogan, director of policy at Scottish Renewables, said: “The stretching targets set in Scotland have meant our home-grown green energy industry has developed skills which are in demand on ­every inhabited continent, bringing investment and income to Scotland from across the world.”

Business, innovation and energy minister Paul Wheelhouse added: “Low-carbon industries and their supply chains generated almost £11 billion in 2014 and supported 43,500 jobs, according to figures from the Office for National Statistics published recently.

“Together with this new research from Scottish Renewables, the figures reinforce the growing importance of the low-carbon industries, including renewable energy businesses, to the Scottish economy and vindicates the Scottish Government’s support for the sector and the increasingly crucial role it plays within our energy mix and the wider economy.”

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