JOHNSTONE DEMANDS FUNDS TO SUPPORT WAVE ENERGY JOBS
Alison Johnstone, Green MSP for Lothian, has today (9 Dec) written to Energy Minister Fergus Ewing calling for urgent answers to growing concerns about the future of the wave energy industry in Scotland.
The Greens are calling for the Scottish Government to use some of the money it received from last week's UK Autumn Statement to support jobs in the companies affected. Edinburgh-based Pelamis, which employs 50 people, is in administration, while Aquamarine Power, also based in the city, is making most of its 50 staff redundant.
Following earlier questions from Alison Johnstone, the Scottish Government announced the setting up of an agency to share knowledge about wave energy. But it has emerged that this body has no staff, budget or timescales for development as yet.
Alison Johnstone MSP said:
"Wave energy has huge economic potential for Scotland. Public funding clearly remains crucial to the industry at this stage, so I'm calling on the Scottish Government to use some of the millions it received last week from Westminster to support wave power jobs.
"The new agency being promised by the government has no staff, no funding and no timescale as yet – it appears to be window dressing. Jobs and expertise risk being lost from Scotland while other countries advance on the technology.
"Ministers need to reassess their priorities because they are abandoning wave, while leaving the door open to unwelcome energy developments such as fracking."