From the archive: How wind, tide and wave could power Scotland seven times over - 20 May, 2010

THE windfall in Scotland’s grasp from offshore renewable energy has been unveiled for the first time in a major new report that reveals it could power the country seven times over within four decades.

The study shows that even harnessing a third of Scotland’s offshore resources by 2050 would see 68 gigawatts of renewables installed around the coast – the equivalent of about 60 nuclear power stations.

Taking the form of more than 20,000 wind, wave and tidal devices, this would equate to more than 18 times the current amount of installed renewables in Scotland – enough to power the country more than seven times over.

It would generate £14 billion profit from electricity sales by 2050 and provide about 60,000 jobs in Scotland, according to the report by the Offshore Valuation Group.