Offshore Wind Energy – Scotland Could Take Global Lead

Scotland's foremost energy economist to tell “All Energy” Aberdeen conference that plans for a controversial demonstrator wind farm in Aberdeen Bay could enable Scotland to take a global lead in the development of offshore wind energy.

According to a 'Scotsman' news report, Donald Trump, who is threatening to pull the plug on his £750 million golf resort development in Aberdeenshire because of the plans for the “monstrous” 11-turbine offshore development, warned First Minister Alex Salmond earlier this month that his drive to establish Scotland as a renewables powerhouse will “single-handedly” destroy the economic wellbeing of Scotland.

But, in a major boost for the consortium behind plans for the European Offshore Wind Deployment Centre (EOWDC), Professor Alex Kemp, the country’s most respected expert on the North Sea economy, will pledge his full support for the development on the opening day of the annual renewables showcase at the Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre.

Prof Kemp, professor of petroleum economics at Aberdeen University, will be joined by other “champions” of the divisive green energy scheme including Neil Kermode, managing director of the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) in Orkney – the only accredited wave and tidal test centre for marine renewable energy in the world – and Neil Gordon, chief executive of Subsea UK, which represents more than 200 companies in the UK subsea supply chain.

Speaking ahead of the conference, Prof Kemp, who is also director of the Aberdeen Centre for Research in Energy Economics and Finance, said the £230m EOWDC could prove to be a “real Scottish success story”.