Investment in oil and gas vital to re-train workers in renewable technologies
Kincardine is set to boast the countries largest floating windfarm
Last updated 17th Aug 2022
Investment in oil and gas needs to continue to re-train workers in renewables, according to Minister Malcolm Offord.
A minister in the UK Government's Scotland Office, Mr Offord told Northsound News that investing in oil and gas and decarbonising all sectors of the UK economy by 2050 go "hand-in-hand".
The UK Government's goals are to reach net zero by 2050, though the Scottish Government aim to net zero by 2045.
"The key word is 'transition'", said Mr Offord.
"We currently have 60,000 workers in oil and gas in Scotland. What I've heard today is that a lot of the skills that have been developed in offshore oil and gas are absolutely transferable to what we saw there in terms of floating renewable wind farms.
"We need to transition our existing workforce over the over the next 20 years or so from oil and gas into renewables, which is why it's so important we continue to invest in oil and gas."
The Lord of Garvel was speaking during a visit to the Kincardine Offshore Windfarm.
It's set to be the countries largest offshore windfarm after receiving nearly £20 million in funding from the UK Government.
"It's nice to see how the project is progressing and it was very impressive, I have to say to be up close to these big things.
"It's part of the whole transition, we have to get to in terms of going from a hydrocarbon based energy source to renewables.
"So this right here has got a major part to play.
"In this, we've currently got 10 gigawatts of floating wind offshore, we need to get to 50 gigawatts in 2030. So this is a very important part of that transition."