Highlands and Islands businesses are showcasing the region’s infrastructure and skills capabilities at Scotland’s largest ever Offshore Wind conference taking place in Aberdeen since yesterday.
Attracting more than 600 of the most influential business leaders in oil and gas and renewable energy from across the UK and Europe, the two day Scottish Offshore Wind Conference and Exhibition delivers exhibition space, networking opportunities and workshops. Highlands and Islands businesses and investors will be there to promote the key role the region offers in delivering accelerated growth for the sector.
Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) are sponsors at the event. As part of first day’s programme Calum Davidson, HIE Director of Energy and Low Carbon, is chairing a speed update session with developers working on projects proposed in Scottish Territorial Waters and under the Crown Estate’s Round 3 leasing programme.
He commented: “We will be looking at the progress of projects and their associated timelines. Hearing from the developers will give us a real insight into the challenges that they are facing in delivering these projects, and also of some of the successes at a more local level.
“The projects proposed for the Highlands and Islands amount to a total of 3.7GW. If we work together to secure the investment for infrastructure to attract large scale manufacturing this could provide real benefit for our ports and harbours. At community level, we already have the specialised skills at our smaller ports and harbours to deliver operations and maintenance services. Buckie Shipyard and the port of Invergordon are already actively involved with the Beatrice demonstrator development.
“The companies attending will have an opportunity to interact with the developers to find out more about how they can get involved in project development, as well as hearing about how the industry is seeking to address issues like cost reduction and innovation.”
HIE will be exhibiting with partners Scottish Enterprise to promote the opportunities in the sector across Scotland. In addition, Argyll and Bute Council together with HIE’s local area office and a number of the area’s businesses are showcasing the best of what Argyll and the Islands have to offer to the sector on their stand.
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Offshore WIND staff, February 01, 2012; Image: scottishrenewables