Scottish Offshore Wind Event Gears Up for Record Number

Scotland’s largest ever Offshore Wind conference will take place in Aberdeen next week bringing together more than 600 of the most influential business leaders in oil & gas and renewable energy from across the UK and Europe.

Organised by Scottish Renewables and Scottish Enterprise, the two-day event is established as a key highlight in the renewables energy calendar attracting a wide range of influential speakers, exhibitors and delegates representing the developing offshore wind sector.

Scotland’s First Minister Alex Salmond will give the opening address to hundreds of delegates on Tuesday (31st)

With some of the most stretching renewable energy targets in Europe and ambitions to generate the equivalent of 100 per cent of annual electricity demand renewables by 2020, Scotland is gearing up to maximise economic potential from offshore wind in the next decade and beyond, with potential for as much as £7 billion of investment and 48,000 jobs.

 Niall Stuart, chief executive of Scottish Renewables, said: “With more than 600 attendees and 50 exhibitors this has, in just a year, become one of the largest events in the renewables calendar. The offshore wind industry will prove to be a significant economic driver in Scotland and an event like this one is a reflection of that.

 “The diversity of those exhibiting tells you this is an international industry making its home in Scotland. Companies such as Gamesa (Spain), Kongsberg (Norway) and Simatex AG (Germany), as well as home-grown businesses such as Xi Engineering and Xodus Group, are all looking to create new jobs in manufacturing, research and development and invest millions in communities across Scotland.

 “Where better than Aberdeen to explore how Scotland can strengthen its presence in the offshore wind sector; a city that has built up a huge hub of skills and expertise from oil and gas which can now be transferred to help create a world-leading offshore wind industry.”

 Adrian Gillespie, director of energy and low carbon technologies at Scottish Enterprise said: “Building on our long industrial heritage and offshore engineering expertise, Scotland is ideally placed to capitalise on Europe’s growing offshore wind industry right across the supply chain.

 “In the last year alone in Scotland we have seen R&D investment, diversification, acquisition and collaboration all help deliver strong and steady progress towards building this exciting new industry.

 “We continue to support Scottish and foreign investors who clearly understand our competitive advantage and see the potential in our offshore expertise, supportive business environment, academic excellence, and natural resources. I fully expect that the 2012 Offshore Wind and Supply Chain conference will help attract further investment and provide a forum to highlight what more can be done to accelerate growth.”

The conference and networking exhibition will include a mixture of plenary sessions, workshop style discussions, presentations and quick fire updates. It will also provide exhibiting organisations with the chance to update on their own activities in our exhibition showcase.

The Scottish Offshore Wind Conference and Exhibition will take place at the Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre (AECC) on Tuesday 31 January and Wednesday 1 February 2012.

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Offshore WIND staff, January 26, 2012; Image: scottish-enterprise