Connecting With Our Neighbours

Recent days have seen the future for renewable energy in Scotland take centre stage in no small part due to the Scottish Low Carbon Investment Conference being held for just the second time. Despite the relative youth of the event, it is a clear sign of Scotland’s renewable energy potential that it has already become internationally significant, with former Vice-President of the United States Al Gore jetting in to address delegates.

Mr Gore’s praise for Scotland’s leadership when it comes to tackling climate change and setting ambitious targets for reducing carbon emissions and increasing renewable energy was extremely welcome, but of more lasting significance are two other developments which coincided with the event.

The first of these was the publication of a report by Scottish Enterprise which identifies the important role that skills and expertise which people in Scotland have developed in the Oil and Gas industry can bring to bear on offshore renewables. The report identifies that if these skills are properly harnessed, cost savings of at least 20% can be made to offshore wind projects.

Those savings add up to hundreds of millions of pounds which can go a long way towards improving the viability of projects and giving developments in the waters off Scotland’s coast a tangible competitive advantage. There is no room for complacency and we must do more to ensure that this kind of collaboration takes place, but the early signs that the Oil & Gas is becoming involved in offshore renewables are positive.

Perhaps even more significant, however, was the announcement that a consortium of companies has made an application to build an underwater electricity connection between Scotland and Norway, coming ashore near Peterhead. This type of connection is absolutely fundamental to achieving the full economic benefits of renewable energy as it will allow Scotland to export its surplus energy to our European neighbours.

The fact that the Peterhead area has been chosen as the landing point is a welcome sign of the significance that renewable energy will play to the economy of Banffshire & Buchan Coast in the years and decades to come. This kind of project has been identified by the EU as a project of “European Significance” and is one of the most important developments that Scotland needs to see happen to secure our economic future.

A worrying proposal

Less promising for people in Banffshire & Buchan Coast, although no less significant, are the latest round of proposed fishing quotas. Despite the scientific advice recommending a 410% increase in West Coast Haddock following the recovery of that fish stock to sustainable levels, the European Commission has proposed an increase of just 25%.

People in the fishing industry will know that there would be no hesitation on the Commission’s part in proposing to follow the scientific advice to the letter if it called for a reduction in quotas, so the lack of consistency that has been displayed is extremely frustrating to say the least.

When the enormous sacrifices that have been made by the fishing industry in the name of improving conservation and sustainability pay off with improved fish stocks, it is simply wrong to punish the fishing industry by not rewarding them for their efforts.

The quota proposed will only increase discards in the area, something that surely nobody would wish to see. The Scottish Government will be making strong representations to Europe to secure a fair deal for our fishermen and ensure that the industry’s willingness to take part in conservation efforts is not undermined by the Commission’s approach.