Machrihanish to be one of 11 strategic Scottish hubs for offshore wind turbines

Kintyre will be delighted by Scottish Enterprise’s announcement todaythat Machrihanish is to be one of 11 strategic Scottish hubs in manufacturing and maintaining offshore wind turbines.

This comes within Scotland’s National Renewable Infrastructure Plan which outlines how Scotland can capitalise on its offshore wind and tidal resources to develop a sustainable and long term industry for the future.

The report has identified a range of sites which offer the potential to help Scotland become an established location for offshore wind turbine manufacturing and construction operations.

The full list of these sites is: Leith, Dundee, Nigg, Energy Park Fife at Methil, Hunterston,  Aberdeen,  Arnish, Campbeltown/Machrihanish, Ardersier, Kishorn, Peterhead.

The report highlights that investment in these locations over the next five years is the key to growing a globally competitive renewable energy sector in Scotland and ensure other parts of the country can benefit in the longer term.

Such investment will ensure that renewable energy companies already operating in Scotland have access to a high quality and competitive business environment to help them expand as well as attract new inward investment to Scotland.

The Campbeltown/Machrihanish area will now receive investment over the five year period , as part of an anticipated £15 billion to be spent on offshore wind turbines.

Energy Minister and Argyll’s MSP, Jim Mather  says: ‘Kintyre is a relative newcomer to servicing the Scottish renewables industry but today’s announcement marks an important step in encouraging more offshore renewables companies to base themselves there.

‘As people make the transition from the oil and gas sector to offshore renewables this news is hugely encouraging to Campbeltown and Machrihanish.

‘The potential economic rewards that can come from the offshore renewables industry in Scotland are immense. I am certainly pleased to note that Kintyre will have a key role to play in developing those industries. They will assist in bringing jobs and investment to the area and today’s announcement is a vital step towards reaching that goal.’

The identification of these eleven strategic hubs is the first phase of Scotland’s National Renewable Infrastructure Plan, led by Scottish Enterprise (SE) with support from Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE).