More than 5,000 green jobs could be created through the development of three regional offshore energy manufacturing sites built around key port locations, First Minister Alex Salmond said today.

Speaking at a Scottish Government public discussion event in Dornoch, the First Minister welcomed Stage 2 of the National Renewables Infrastructure Plan (N-RIP), which was published today by Scottish Enterprise and Highlands & Islands Enterprise.

The plan outlines the investment required to deliver Scotland's ambition to become a premier location for the manufacturing and deployment of wind turbine and marine energy devices.

The report states that a total private and public investment of £223 million would assist the creation of 11 offshore wind manufacturing sites in three regional clusters. Taken together these sites could support the creation of up to 5,180 jobs and an annual economic impact of up to £294.5 million each year. It also underlines the case for the £185 million Fossil Fuel Levy to be released by the Treasury to accelerate the promotion and development of renewable energy in Scotland.

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The sites identified in Stage 1 of the N-RIP, published in February, are: Leith, Dundee, Nigg, Energy Park at Methil, Hunterston, Aberdeen, Arnish, Campbeltown/Machrihanish, Ardersier, Kishorn and Peterhead. This latest report recommends that the sites are developed into three regional manufacturing clusters that would support the fabrication of offshore wind components and tap into the wealth of subsea expertise that already exists in Scotland.

First Minister Alex Salmond said: "Scotland has the natural resources, expertise and ambition to become a global powerhouse for clean, green energy. The National Renewables Infrastructure Plan outlines the steps required to realise our ambition and to establish Scotland as a premier destination for the manufacture and installation of offshore renewable energy devices.

"This plan focuses on the sites that could provide investors with the high-quality infrastructure required for success in the rapidly growing green energy industry.

"The report states that a total investment of up to £223 million is required to realise the potential of these sites, which could create more than 5,000 manufacturing jobs and generate around £300 million each year for Scotland's economy."

Lena Wilson, Chief Executive of Scottish Enterprise added: "Scotland can be home to offshore renewable manufacturing in the same way as we are becoming home to the engineering design of offshore wind and wave tidal facilities. Taken together, these opportunities will help to secure Scotland's place as Europe's powerhouse of renewable energy production.

"This latest phase of the National Renewables Infrastructure Plan has been developed collaboratively with industry and will help inform investment priorities for the future. Our priority now is to work with individual site owners and our public sector partners to identify how we collectively attract the investment that will help them develop the infrastructure and meet future market demands."

(GK)