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Renewable energy potential
09/04/2009
Scotland will play a leading role in helping China achieve its target of doubling the country's consumption share of renewable energy by 2020, First Minister Alex Salmond said today.
He used Glasgow-based SgurrEnergy's success in China as an example of the impact that Scottish skill and technology will have in driving forward China's 'clean energy revolution'.
The First Minister put renewable energy at the top of his China visit agenda when he opened SgurrEnergy's new Beijing office, helped them officially launch their ground-breaking wind measurement devise into the Chinese market, and made the keynote address to a major renewable energy conference involving leading Chinese renewable energy companies, and Scottish firms active in the Far East.
Speaking from the Chinese capital, Mr Salmond said:
"This visit has been about partnership. Partnership between Scotland and China, between our businesses, academics and researchers.
"The renewable energy sector, probably more than any other, offers massive opportunities for our countries to collaborate. The potential benefits, domestically and globally, now and in the future, are vast.
"Through the endeavours of Scottish firms like SgurrEnergy - and others like Scottish and Southern Energy, SeaEnergy Renewables, Howden, Clydeblowers and the Weir Group - Scottish companies are developing productive relationships within China thanks to their recognised expertise and innovation in clean energy.
"China, at 152GW, is already the world's leading producer of renewable energy, and last year investment in the sector amounted to more that 12 billion US dollars, but they want to go much, much further and the opportunities for Scotland to play a leading role in China's clean energy revolution are vast.
"We have built on Scotland's rich history in the energy industry, and today we lead the way in research and commercialisation of renewable energy resources.
"SgurrEnergy's success shows just what can be achieved.
"It is only six years since the company began life as a small business in an attic in Glasgow. Today it is a global leader in the renewables industry, with expertise in hydro, wind, solar, biomass, microgeneration, wave and tidal power.
"Today I am opening an expanded new office in Beijing, where SgurrEnergy have had a presence since 2006.
"This presence has helped get them involved in some huge projects, including work to assess 10,000km of Chinese coastline for offshore wind farm capabilities and involvement in the first western-funded windfarm in China in Ballingmiao, Inner Mongolia."
SgurrEnergy hope to be involved in more of these types of project thanks to the launch into China of their new laser-based device for capturing wind speed and direction, the Galion Lidar. The new wind survey product allows multiple wind turbine locations to be surveyed from a single deployment, reducing risk and affording cost savings.
SgurrEnergy's co-founder Ian Irvine said:
"The decision to open an office in Beijing has certainly paid off and SgurrEnergy has experienced strong growth in China. The new, larger Beijing office will give us room to continue and expand in China.
"Scotland is a world leader in renewable energy and by exporting our expertise we can help accelerate the global uptake of clean energy for everyone's benefit."
Jack Perry, Chief Executive of Scottish Enterprise which, alongside Scottish Development International, has worked closely with SgurrEnergy, was also at the opening. He said:
"Scotland has some of the best renewable energy resources in the world, which coupled with our strengths in innovation, have helped make us a leading global energy player in the field of clean, green energy.
"This latest development by SgurrEnergy not only demonstrates how successfully our companies are taking this innovation and experience and applying it globally, but it also helps set the stage even further for similar ventures in the future."
SgurrEnergy's company status in China was recently changed to wholly owned foreign enterprise (WOFE), which enables SgurrEnergy to trade and work with local companies under its Chinese registration Feng Neng Sgurr (Beijing) Renewable Energy Technology Co Ltd. Previously it had only been able to work with other western companies in China.