MEMO TO NICOLA STURGEON, FIRST MINISTER: Let’s exploit the benefits of Scotland’s role as the world’s 21st-century ‘energy laboratory’

In the long-ago days of the ‘British’ empire, Scotland played a significant – albeit secondary – role in global colonisation and trade.

But in today’s energy world, Scotland plays a significant – and far from secondary- role in pioneering new technologies and new ways of working in what are increasingly globalised energy industries.

The experience and innovation required to discover, develop and exploit the mineral resources of the North Sea oil and gas sector in the late 20^th century are a clear example. Coal – which literally powered the Industrial Revolution of the late 18^th and 19^th centuries – is another example.

Although Old King Coal is on his commercial death-bed in the UK, and while the oil and gas industry is facing challenging circumstances from global geo-political issues, pioneering and innovation continue to push the frontiers in exploration and production – to go into new markets (such as Rockall) and/or – potentially – to use new technologies to Maximise Economic Recovery from ‘old’ or ageing oil and gas fields in the North Sea.

Scotland has been blessed with an abundance of natural energy-rich resources – not just oil and gas.

According to official Scottish Government statistics, Scotland has an estimated 25% of Europe’s tidal potential and 10% of its wave potential – as well as large-scale wind resources which are already generating – on some days – 100% of Scotland’s electrical needs. And let’s not forget biomass and solar power.

With these natural resources, and with Scotland’s track record of achievement in engineering, Scotland is, in effect, the world’s ‘global energy laboratory’.

And to tell this story – and to share this kind of best practice and achievement with the ‘global village’ – is the reason that Scottish Energy News was created.

If everyone involved in Scottish energy pulls together – collaborates – and realises that there is more that unites the gas, oil, and renewable energy sectors than divides them, then Scotland PLC could once again become a global energy power house in the same way, for example, that Scottish shipbuilding, bridge-building and steam-energy railway power led the world economy.

Some of the companies presently operating in, and from Scotland (from tidal energy, to low-carbon renewables, to transitional energies such as shale gas and oil, and carbon-capture and storage and ‘smart’ networks – have the potential, either on their own, and/or in collaboration with others, to achieve Scotland – on a global scale – for example, what Nokia did for Finland.

For our part, Scottish Energy News reaches out to thousands of readers – day and daily – in North America, the EU, China, Russia, India, the Middle East and Australasia – as well as the entire UK.

Scottish Energy News thinks global. And acts local. And collaboratively. Do you?

With this vision we ask all of Scotland’s energy players (large, small, public or private, and no matter what sector) to collaborate and to share best practice to help Scotland PLC play a leading part in the Second Industrial Revolution.

Let’s collaborate to make sure that Scottish energy plays a leading part in the world’s Second Industrial Revolution as the world transitions from coal and steam, to oil and gas and ultimately to low-carbon renewable energy sources.

We have the tools. Let’s work together to finish the job. 

You can start right here: –  http://www.scottishenergynews.com/scottish-energy-news-begins-a-great-new-year-with-2-new-uk-energy-conferences-and-a-new-record-number-of-unique-web-site-visitors-for-2016/

And here: http://www.scottishenergynews.com/subscribe/

Scottish Energy Minister and Scottish Energy News

“I would like to put this comment on the record: Scottish Energy News is a very clear, very helpful source of information for all the significant energy news in Scotland – and I read it every day at 6.30am”

Fergus Ewing, MSP
Minister for Energy, Enterprise and Tourism
Scottish Government