Oil industry could help renewable developments

Using the expertise of the gas and oil industry could save hundreds of millions of pounds in offshore wind development, new research has revealed.

In its Guide to Offshore Wind and Oil and Gas Capability, Scottish Enterprise said that the knowledge of the gas and oil industry could reduce costs in areas of installation and maintenance by at least 20 per cent.

Scottish Enterprise director of energy and low carbon technologies Adrian Gillespie said that Scotland had over 40 years' experience which could "greatly benefit" the offshore wind sector.

"With the UK offshore wind market set to grow rapidly over the next four years, and the Scottish government's ambitious renewable energy generation targets, we must ensure Scotland is best placed to capitalise on these opportunities," he explained.

Donald Trump has meanwhile written personally to first minister Alex Salmond to urge him to bring a halt to plans to erect a "disastrous and environmentally irresponsible" wind farm a mile off the coast of his executive golf course.