Offshore renewable energy projects will transform the Scottish economy and re-industrialise communities, Alex Salmond claimed yesterday.
The first minister restated the case for wind, wave and tidal power as the government published details of investment planned across the country.
He was speaking ahead of tomorrow’s appearance by US tycoon Donald Trump’s before a Holyrood inquiry into the government’s renewable energy targets.
Mr Trump, who is campaigning against an offshore wind development near his Aberdeenshire golf development, has become a stern critic of wind energy.
The Scottish Government says industry studies show renewable energy is producing thousands of jobs and is capable of generating “tens of thousands” more.
Mr Salmond said leases have been granted for more than 11 gigawatts of offshore wind, wave and tidal energy generating capacity up to 2020, by which time Scotland should be producing all its domestic electricity needs from green energy while continuing as a net exporter of power.
“Even before these offshore clean energy projects have been deployed, renewables contributed more than a third of Scotland’s electricity needs in 2011 and the sector supports more than 11,000 jobs – and tens of thousands more jobs will be created.”
Aberdeenshire infrastructure chairman Peter Argyle claimed yesterday that the council planning system cannot cope, having received some 800 applications over 14 months.
And Tory leader Ruth Davidson said that, while jobs were important, the details of the government investment plan only told “half the story”.
“What it doesn’t show are the communities who vehemently oppose such developments, who are backed by their local authorities, only to then see the decision overturned.
“They will be extremely upset to see the SNP boasting in this fashion and the map does nothing to ease people’s concerns about the long-term value of the Scottish Government’s love affair with windfarms.”
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