Scottish Energy Minister Visits Germany

Renewables links between Scotland and Germany will be strengthened today by a visit from Energy Minister Fergus Ewing to Bremen and Bremerhaven.

On the first day of a three-day visit, Mr Ewing will today visit Areva Wind, Europe’s second largest offshore wind company, in Bremerhaven and attend a meeting on the wind supply chain also attended by several Scottish companies.

He will then attend the opening of the Windforce offshore wind conference, organised by the German Wind Energy Agency, in Bremen, and sign Bremen’s Golden Book, which has been signed by heads of state, celebrities, ambassadors and ministers visiting the city since 1929.

At Windforce, he will meet with representatives from PNE Wind, a German project developer of onshore and offshore windfarms which opened an office in Edinburgh in 2011 and has continued to expand its presence in Scotland.

Energy Minister Fergus Ewing said:

“Scotland leads the world in renewable energy, with a quarter of Europe’s tide and offshore wind resource, as well as enormous skills and expertise.

“I’m delighted to be visiting Germany and Windforce 2012 and exploring opportunities for Scottish renewable energy companies to explore and further develop business with Germany.

“Building strong relationships and encouraging collaborative engagement between German and Scottish companies is key to both countries maximising the jobs, opportunities and investment that renewables will continue to bring.

“Scotland and Germany both have ambitious renewables targets, and there are excellent opportunities for us to work together to reach those targets.

“We are already key partners in the low carbon economy and supply chain, and during this visit I will build on those links.”

Jean Huby, Chief Executive Officer of AREVA Wind said:

“We are delighted to welcome the Minister to visit our facilities in Bremerhaven. He will be able to see at first hand the manufacturing process for our 5MW offshore wind turbine. This is the benchmark for our planned industrial development in the UK and France. AREVA recognises Scotland’s leading position in the development of offshore wind and looks forward to partnering with Scotland to support future UK growth.”

Markus Lesser, PNE WIND’s Chief Operative Officer said:

“The best wind resources are in Scotland compared to the rest of the UK and along with the aggressive targets set by the Scottish Government, it made sense to establish and extend our office in Edinburgh. We are a one-stop shop when it comes to building wind farms from planning to erecting the turbines and we like being close to our sites. With our long established international  expertise, it was a natural progression to invest in the potential Scotland has to offer. Our commitment to Scotland is a long term investment.”

Anne MacColl, Chief Executive of Scotland Development International, said:

“As the second biggest global exporter and Scotland’s fourth biggest trading partner, Germany has excellent potential for Scottish and German companies seeking opportunities in the fast-growing renewables industry.

“Scotland has long-standing offshore engineering expertise making us ideally placed to capitalise on Europe’s offshore wind industry right across the supply chain.

“We are also working closely with European inward investors who recognise our expertise in renewables and the competitive advantage we offer to those looking to expand their operations in new locations.” 

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Offshore WIND staff, June 26, 2012; Image: Scottish Government