Scottish Renewables Annual Conference to hear from Scottish and UK Governments
Event will ‘shine a light’ on issues facing sector
Brexit, climate change and the future of our energy system will all be up for debate at Scottish Renewables Annual Conference in Edinburgh next month (March 12-13).
The industry body’s flagship event will bring together the Scottish and UK Governments, industry, commentators and delegates for a two-day look at the “vast array of opportunities and challenges” facing the £5.5bn-a-year sector.
Speakers include:
Scottish Government Energy Minister Paul Wheelhouse
Vicky Dawe, Deputy Director, Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, UK Government
Ofgem Chair Professor Martin Cave
Chris Stark, Chief Executive, Committee on Climate Change
Professor Ian Hunter, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Anthony Legg, Director – Head of Power & Utilities, EY
Dwindling Westminster support, rising fees and a lack of innovation funding are all hampering green energy, which employs 17,700 people in Scotland, from Shetland to the Borders.
Offshore wind projects now being developed in Scottish waters are some of the largest private infrastructure investments ever made in the UK, while Scotland’s tidal and wave energy sectors continue to lead the world.
Scottish Renewables represents around 260 organisations working in renewable energy.
Chief Executive Claire Mack said: “It is more than fair to say our industry continues to face a vast array of opportunities and challenges, all of which will be on the table at our Annual Conference next month.
“The event presents us with a tremendous opportunity to shine a light on the issues that matter and discuss with the wider industry what we should be doing to achieve our vision of a Scotland leading the world in renewable energy.
“I’m particularly excited to talk about the issues which remain front and centre in the minds of our members: the continued lack of a route to market for our cheapest technologies, reform of the planning system, uncertainty over support for small-scale renewables, a lack of clarity about the future for renewable heat and, of course, the ongoing turmoil of Brexit, among others.
“Annual Conference sets the tone for Scottish Renewables as we start another year in this tremendously exciting industry, and I look forward to welcoming the key people to Edinburgh on March 12 and 13.”
Scottish Renewables Annual Conference is sponsored by EDF Renewables.
Matthieu Hue, CEO of EDF Renewables UK, said: “Renewables continue to grow rapidly, and will certainly take the lion’s share of UK electricity generation in the coming decade.
“Scotland is essential to this transformation and so the Annual Conference is great opportunity for a wide range of delegate and speakers to meet and debate on how to get the most of what renewables has to offer.”
