The failure of the Scottish Government to develop an industrial strategy that will ensure Scotland gains from the growing development of renewable energy was highlighted in Parliament this week when Alex Rowley asked the Scottish Government to confirm how many Scottish based companies had been awarded contracts to manufacture renewables technologies in the last five years.
Whilst the Government said these figures are not available, Mr Rowley quoted former Energy Minister Brian Wilson stating:
“As the windiest country in Europe, we should be angry and embarrassed that every single turbine around us has been imported.”
The Labour MSP drew comparisons from the development of the oil industry and said:
“In the 1970s, the Offshore Supplies Office was established with the objective of securing 70 per cent of the North Sea supply chain for UK companies. Hundreds of companies provided thousands of jobs as a result.”
Speaking after the session Mr Rowley said he would arrange to meet the Energy Minster but warned that the failure to create investment and jobs would have a devastating impact on economic development in Fife. He said:
“The Fife economic strategy for the next ten years has put energy, renewables and manufacturing at its core yet all the evidence points to most of the work being carried out abroad. This is why we need direct intervention, an industrial strategy for Scotland and a Government that will use its powers to bring the manufacturing of renewable energy to Scotland.
The Fife MSP asked the question what kind of economy do we want for the future and said:
“The jobs that come with manufacturing renewable technologies are skilled and well paid and we should not be apologising for saying we want these jobs in Scotland. We must do everything within our power to make sure the renewable technologies are built in Scotland as opposed to being shipped to Scotland as is currently the case”.
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ur9KrS84SM[/embedyt]
