There are several massive projects underway to push Scotland toward 100% renewables energy supply by 2030. See for example:

Re-opened Scottish dock to build state-of-the-art floating windfarm to begin to exploit Scotland’s 25% share of all of Europe’s offshore wind potential

Four more major wind farms off east coast of Scotland

However, the first, smaller offshore windfarm, Statoil’s Hywind, 15 miles off Peterhead will be supplying power to the equivalent of 15 000 homes in October. Built essentially as a testbed for even larger floating windfarms, Hywind seems to have been a complete success and will be supplying Peterhead in around six weeks.

To maximise efficiency the wind turbines are huge, the height of Big Ben and with blades as big as typical airliner and have a motion controller enabling them to turn into the wind. Luckily they are well out of sight from any links course and so don’t spoil the view.

You’ll see from one of the above headlines that Scotland has around 25% of all of Europe’s wind potential. There have been days in the past when I might have moaned about that very fact as I struggled with an umbrella.

https://www.energyvoice.com/oilandgas/147762/pioneering-renewables-project-will-keep-lights-peterhead/

From the Chief Executive Officer of Maersk, yesterday:

‘The North Sea will remain, very much, a focus of ours. Not just in the near term but also in the medium to longer term growth. We have a strong set of mature assets between Denmark and the UK. ‘

Maersk take production from the Maclure and Tulloch fields in the Scottish sector. These comments come days after confident forecasts from the IEA and BP. See:

International Energy Agency forecasts big increase in demand to give North Sea producers cause for optimism

‘I feel good about the North Sea’

So, independence by 2020 and still decades of oil revenue after that.

https://www.energyvoice.com/oilandgas/north-sea/147865/north-sea-much-part-maersk-oils-growth-plans/

© visitscotland.com

I know some people (non-drinkers) might not be thinking this is all a good thing but much of the product is for export and so is further enhancing our already strong trade surplus – the only UK region with one.

According to Insider:

• The number of breweries in Scotland doubled in six years
• There are 115 breweries and 190 distilleries –
• The highest concentration is in Edinburgh and the Highlands
• They were situated in 21 of Scotland’s 32 local authorities.
• The breweries alone employed 950 people, a 64 per cent increase since 2011.

In addition, Insider pointed out:

‘Over the past seven years food and drink start-ups in Scotland have had a higher survival rate and have grown at a faster rate than in the rest of the UK, as well as contributing £1.2bn worth of exports to the Scottish economy in the first three months of 2017.’

http://www.insider.co.uk/news/number-breweries-scotland-double-six-11003137

The computer games sector currently employs 1 1000 people in Scotland and earns £93 million, up from £67.6 million in 2013 and quite a leap from the £38.1 million earned in 2010. There are now a 100 computer games firms in Scotland when there were only 15 as recently as 2010, a 600% increase. Of these, 95 are registered in Scotland. The SNP also funded 40 post-graduate games places on a course at Abertay University and lobbied for tax relief for the sector.

 http://www.develop-online.net/news/number-of-scottish-games-firms-grows-600-in-five-years/0216866

Now £200 000 has been awarded via Scottish Enterprise to simulation games developer and publishing company, Dovetail Games, taking their workforce from 30 to 50.

https://news.gov.scot/news/jobs-expansion-for-gaming-firm

Hopefully one of these new software products can turn into a massive earner like Grand Theft Auto. According to Develop, Grand Theft Auto V, produced in Scotland is the ‘fastest selling entertainment product of all time.’ Within three days of its release it had passed the figure of $1 billion dollars in sales. That’s just three days and one product. I can’t find out just how much of that goes toward Scottish GDP.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Theft_Auto_V#Commercial_performance

I’ve already reported on the possible impact of Outlander on tourism at:

‘Outlander links see visitors to historic sites soaring’

According to Historic Environment Scotland:

‘The use of Gaelic in the hit TV series Outlander has sparked increased interest amongst visitors to Scotland and historic sites linked to the show are continuing to see significant rises in tourist numbers.’

I’m not sure how they have established that the use of Gaelic is increasing visits but nevertheless HES have produced a video series: ‘Gaelic for Outlanders’. Lesson one has had just over 5 000 views. It’s not really a lot in Youtube terms but let’s not be mean. You’ll find it at:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MN9GP4xc5Kk

HES now propose raising the profile of Gaelic at many of their historic sites to further exploit the link with the series with more Gaelic signage and Gaelic-inscribed gifts.

http://www.scotsman.com/lifestyle/travel/scotland-enjoys-tourism-boost-thanks-to-interest-in-gaelic-1-4532585

iomchaidh gu leòr

The IEA has raised its forecast for 2017 to 1.5 million barrels per day from 1.4 million but more importantly, it anticipates an additional 1.4 million in 2018. This fits in with, perhaps underestimates earlier predictions of shortages and massive increases in demand from Asian countries:

Refiners begin scramble for crude oil supplies. Now who do we know with lots of that? Oh yes, we do.

Independent Scotland’s oil wealth is assured as Aramco chief predicts huge shortages

Producers should find encouragement from demand, which is growing year-on-year more strongly than first thought,”

https://www.cnbc.com/2017/08/11/reuters-america-update-2-iea-says-strong-oil-demand-growth-helping-market-rebalance.html

 

As you know, we’re increasingly producing too much energy from our wind farms and marine turbines:

‘Scotland Sets [Another] New Wind Power Record’

‘Wind farms powered 4 million Scottish homes last month’ and there are only 2.4 million ‘households’ in Scotland

When this happens, storage is the problem in matching demand to the fluctuations in supply. However, a new large-scale battery storage facility, the first in the UK, is to be built in Broxburn by the Trig company.

The Broxburn facility will story 20MW which is off course only a fraction of our daily needs of around 1 million MW but may herald the start of a trend.  Trig, as-a-whole, will have 774MW across Europe.

https://www.pressreader.com/uk/the-scotsman/20170815/282123521615400

https://www.energyvoice.com/otherenergy/147529/trig-lands-scottish-renewable-energy-storage-unit-20m/

From the gov.scot site this good news for employment in the town and surrounding areas and presumably our balance of trade too:

‘First Minister Nicola Sturgeon welcomed GSK’s (GlaxoSmithKline) commitment to Montrose as she opened their new £44 million aluminium salts facility. The site produces ingredients for vaccines for illnesses including tetanus, pneumonia and whooping cough.’

So, this looks a strong commitment to the workforce in the town which, without having the facts, I’d have thought needed the jobs. GSK Montrose employ 450, these will be kept plus 15 and with a further 150 contractors needed for the build. Montrose was chosen for the investment, according to GSK, because:

‘We have the right mix of people and skills. We know Scotland is a good place to conduct research, development and manufacturing, and we’re pleased the Scottish Life Sciences Strategy demonstrates a shared commitment between the industry and Scottish Government to ensuring Scotland remains a great place to work in life sciences. Scottish Enterprise has worked closely with GSK for a number of years, helping them to secure a skilled workforce capable of harnessing the newest technologies to research, develop and manufacture innovative medicines. This expansion is testament to the strength of Scotland’s life sciences sector and to the confidence international companies have in the skill and value of the Scottish workforce, and we look forward to continuing to work with GSK to support its growth in Scotland.’

The plant will produce sterile aluminium salts which had previously to be imported.

https://news.gov.scot/news/new-gbp-44m-facility-at-gsk-montrose

So, once more, it looks like the Scottish Government through Scottish Enterprise is doing its job in helping to protect and grow employment opportunities as it has done in other places recently. See these few recent examples from many:

£5 million Scottish Government investment helps Peterhead Port win major offshore wind contract

Scottish Government invests a further £1.5 million in offshore wind technology as our renewables energy generation booms.

Scottish Government awards 13 firms £3.5m in new grants to maintain push for growth in food and drink sales

Scottish Government invests in Glasgow’s second new distillery as Scottish Whisky sales climb toward £1 billion and Scotland produces 28% of all UK food and drink exports