26,000 Jobs For Pentland Firth By 2050

1st August 2012

Pentland Firth becomes Scotland's first Marine Energy Park

Energy and Climate Change Minister Greg Barker joined local MP John Thurso at Scrabster Harbour on monday to officially announce the Pentland Firth as only the second designated area in the country for marine and tidal energy.
The designation is designed to help bring together manufacturers, financiers, developers and university researchers to create a centre of excellence in the sector and is a clear signal of the UK Government's commitment to marine energy.

John Thurso who led talks with Ministers over designating the park said:"It is not often as an MP that you are able to have an idea and see it all the way through to fruition."

"When I heard Mr Barker speak about the prospect of creating these parks across the UK coastline, I immediately saw what it could mean for us in terms of branding and bringing people together and organised a meeting with him to propose the Pentland Firth."

"This is one of the most important places for marine energy in the world and this is evident by the work that has gone into creating extra workspace at Scrabster harbour."

"Along with the capital allowances which comes with the enterprise zone, all these things are pieces in a jig-saw which will fit towards a future economy post Dounreay."

Marine energy technology is still in the development phase but according to the Carbon Trust marine energy has the realistic potential to provide 11% of the UK's electricity needs and create 26,000 jobs by 2050.