SCOTLAND’S renewable energy expertise is in demand around the world with current projects worth more than £125 million over five years.
New research has found that Scottish businesses are working in more than 40 countries in places as diverse as China, Russia, Taiwan and Cape Verde.
Firms are involved in projects worth £125.3 million in 43 countries in every continent bar Antarctica – and employ staff in 22 of those countries.
“This research clearly shows that Scotland’s expertise in renewable energy is in demand around the world,” said Jenny Hogan, director of policy at Scottish Renewables, whose research is published today (mon).
“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.
“Countries such as Japan, Canada and Chile have seen the lead we’ve built up in wave and tidal energy and now employ Scottish organisations to advise them on developing their own marine energy resources.
“Scottish green energy engineering skills are in demand from South Africa to Norway while our environmental, planning and technical know-how is being used in Colombia, Canada, China and many other countries.”
Businesses working abroad include Orkney-based consultancy Aquatera which has been involved in the creation of marine energy projects in the United States, Chile, Japan, Columbia, Peru and Indonesia.
Windhoist, a crane company based in Irvine, North Ayrshire, has installed more than 4,800 wind turbines across the globe, from South Africa and Morocco to Australia and Belgium while St Andrews-based SMRU Consulting is working in the Bay of Fundy, Canada, to monitor how porpoises and dolphins interact with tidal energy turbines Glasgow’s Star Renewable Energy has installed a heat pump in Drammen, Norway, which now provides warmth for the city’s 63,000 residents and business Orkney’s European Marine Energy Centre was called upon to plan for the development of a wave and tidal energy industry in Nagasaki, Japan.
In Mongolia, SgurrEnergy has been pivotal in the construction of the country’s first windfarm. The Salkhit wind farm site is situated deep in the Mongolian Steppe, around 70km south of the capital city, Ulaanbaatar.
The Asian country is undergoing rapid economic and energy development and the wind project will help to ease reliance on Russia’s energy resources and offset current coal-fired generation. SgurrEnergy, part of Wood Group, is technical adviser to Clean Energy LLC and has provided expertise across project development, tendering, contracting and construction of the site.
The figures from Scottish Renew-ables have been welcomed by the Scottish Government as evidence of the importance of low carbon industries to the economy.
“This survey shows the considerable global reach of renewable energy businesses in Scotland,” said the Scottish Government Minister for Business, Innovation and Energy, Paul Wheelhouse. “Low-carbon industries and their supply chains generated almost £11 billion in 2014 and supported 43,500 jobs, according to figures from the Office of 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.”
The research was also welcomed by WWF Scotland director Lang Banks who said setting strong renewables targets was key in the development of the industry.
“It’s amazing to learn that Scotland’s renewables expertise is being sought globally by so many countries,” he said. “We should be rightly proud of what these companies are helping achieve, both at home and abroad, by creating jobs and addressing global climate change.
“This achievement underlines the importance of good political leadership and the setting of strong targets. If Scotland wishes to continue to create more jobs and economic opportunities in renewables then our politicians must continue to think big. The Scottish Government’s forthcoming energy strategy and climate action plans provide the opportunities to bring forward the targets and policies needed to deliver such a vision.”
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