All-Energy organisers claim it is the “ability to connect the UK supply chain” firms taking part in the event to new contacts which lies behind them quitting Aberdeen.
But they have also cited the “support we will all receive from the city of Glasgow” as they justified their decision to move the UK’s biggest annual renewable-energy show from Aberdeen to Scotland’s largest city.
Energy Minister Fergus Ewing insisted the Scottish Government played no part in it, but suspicions are rife in the Granite City that some kind of financial inducement was involved.
Mr Ewing said: “The conference does not receive Scottish Government funding and we have not been involved in the decision to move it.”
North-east Labour MSP Lewis Macdonald asked First Minister Alex Salmond when he became aware Aberdeen was losing the popular conference and exhibition, and what he did to stop it. Mr Salmond said it was important to foster renewable conferences “wherever and whenever”.
He added: “We will work to retain conferences in Aberdeen, which I believe should be seen not just as the oil capital of Europe but as the energy capital of Europe.”
“Of course, as Lewis Macdonald well knows, in an independent Scotland administration and regulation of the energy industry would be committed from Aberdeen.”
Afterwards Mr Macdonald said: “The first minister promised to work to retain renewables conferences in Aberdeen but that is too little, too late. Where was Alex Salmond when this decision was made?
“Warm words after the event are no substitute for action in time, and the SNP have failed to keep Britain’s biggest renewable-energy event in the energy capital of Europe.
“ Mr Salmond and his government have serious questions to answer.”
Formally announcing the show’s move a day after Energy Voice broke the news it was leaving the Granite City for at least three years – All-Energy conference director Judith Patten said: “After 14 highly-successful years in Aberdeen, 2015 sees the UK’s largest renewable-energy event move to a new home in Glasgow.
“Like Aberdeen, Glasgow understands and appreciates the strategic importance of renewable-energy and is rapidly emerging as a leading international hub for energy expertise, particularly due to its well-developed R&D (research and development) and technical engineering capabilities.”
Event director Jonathan Heastie of Reed Exhibitions added: “The decision to move the show to Glasgow has been made after long and careful consideration, and through consultation with various industry stakeholders whose valued opinion has been critical in shaping this next step in the evolution of the UK’s largest renewable-energy event.
“There were a number of factors to be considered, but there has been one key driver which has dominated the decision-making process and propelled us towards Glasgow – the ability to connect the UK supply chain who participate at All-Energy to new contacts from both national and international trading locations.”
“This new event location and the support we will all receive from the city of Glasgow will ensure we continue to deliver an exceptional show in terms of content, growth and attendance and, in turn, will provide exhibitors with the return on investment their commitment to the event merits.”
All-Energy 2015 will be held at the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre on May 6 and 7 next year.
The change of venue overshadowed the first day of All-Energy 2014 at Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre.
Highlights included one of Aberdeen’s multi-million pound fleet of hydrogen buses going on show for the first time.
The bus, which is part of the £20million Aberdeen Hydrogen Bus Project, is one of four which have already arrived in the city from Belgian manufacturer Van Hool. A further six vehicles are due to arrive in the coming months.
Mr Ewing, one of the keynote speakers at All-Energy, announced £3.5million of Scottish Enterprise investment in the growing renewable energy-sector.
Four projects are being supported through the agency’s Renewable Energy Investment Fund.
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