First Minister visits Nigg yard
Nigg fabrication yard in Easter Ross
FIRST Minister Alex Salmond has been visiting the Nigg oil fabrication yard in Easter Ross to launch his plans for a green-powered Scotland that could create tens of thousands of jobs.
The SNP leader said the goal of generating the equivalent of 100 per cent of Scotland’s own electricity needs from renewable sources by 2020 would give confidence to companies, ensuring further investment and jobs in the sector.
The vision was "ambitious but achievable", he said.
"Our 100 per cent target will help us achieve or goal of having 130,000 jobs in the renewable and low carbon energy sector by 2020," said Mr Salmond. "And those jobs in turn will help us to re-industrialise Scotland. With ambition and investment on this scale, it is the power of Scotland that will lead the global green energy revolution."
The First Minister praised the facilities at Nigg which he said were suitable to handling giant offshore turbines.
He met Ross-shire businessman Roy MacGregor, head of Global Energy Group, which is in the final stages of completing its purchase of the Nigg yard from American owners KBR.
Rob Gibson, the SNP candidate for Caithness, Sutherland and Ross, said; "It was fantastic to welcome the First Minister back to Ross-shire. The First Minister has always taken a keen interest in developments at Nigg and I think it’s important for folk here to see his enthusiasm for the exciting projects coming down the line there."
He added: "For the first time in a long while Nigg has the potential to make real progress."
