Dundee's efforts to grab a share of the ever-expanding renewable energy market are continuing this week at the UK's premier renewable energy event in Liverpool.

Representatives of Dundee Renewables, a new initiative involving the public, private and academic sectors, are exhibiting at the event as part of a partnership to build a renewable energy industry for Dundee.

Launched earlier this year with the initial key partners of Dundee City Council, Scottish Enterprise and Forth Ports, the aim is to highlight Dundee's facilities to companies involved in the emerging market for renewable energy in Scotland.

At the Liverpool exhibition and conference (October 20-22), organised by the British Wind Energy Association (BWEA), industry representatives from across the globe are learning about Dundee's special features - facilities at the Port of Dundee, for example, make it an effective base for companies to service the burgeoning renewable energy sector.

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Dundee's key assets include the fact that it is Scotland's most strategically important and suitable port location for marine renewables; has 175 hectares of development land within the city which could be made available for renewable energy manufacturing and is the closest port to the majority of Scotland's wind development zones.

The city also has a pool of relevant highly skilled workers suitable for this industry and higher and further education facilities to continually support this need.

The focus for Dundee Renewables is to attract a wind turbine manufacturer to the city and the Liverpool exhibition is seen as an ideal way of promoting Dundee to industry representatives. The event is sold out, has over 200 stands and attracts more than 3,000 visitors.

By 2020, wind, wave and tidal energy can supply over 30% of the UK's electricity, resulting in £60 billion of investment and 60,000 new jobs.

Dundee Renewables aim to raise the profile of the city to attract inward investment, create jobs and generate economic growth.

(GK/BMcC)