Salmond announced a new target of generating the equivalent of 50% of Scotland’s electricity from renewable sources by 2015, on the way to the Scottish National Party’s target of 100% by 2020.
The First Minister told hundreds of delegates at the wind, wave and tidal industry’s conference that renewable energy offers a ‘massive economic opportunity for Scotland’. It has ‘the potential to bring about the reindustrialisation of the Scottish coastline’, he added.
Salmond also highlighted what he described as the ‘massive potential for Scotland’s wave and tidal industry – with more devices tested in Scotland than the rest of the world put together’, saying this would bring huge benefits in terms of jobs and energy generation.
‘Salmond’s vision of revitalised industries in Scotland and his recognition of the potential of the wave and tidal sector, demonstrate his commitment to renewables,’ RenewableUK’s Deputy Chief Executive Maf Smith said. ‘His announcement of a new interim target for electricity from renewable sources in Scotland shows enormous confidence in the sector.’
