Energy Minister Fergus Ewing will today urge industry experts to take advantage of the massive opportunity renewable energy presents to Scotland.

The Minister will deliver the opening speech and take questions at a conference on the economics of renewables.

And he will tell delegates that not only do the sums on renewable energy add up, but that green energy, supported by modernised thermal generation backup, is the best long term option.

Speaking the day after an independent report by Reform Scotland showed that exporting renewable energy could earn Scotland £2 billion a year, Mr Ewing said failing to take advantage of the opportunities renewables present would be 'a criminal waste'.

Mr Ewing said: "Scotland has huge potential for renewable energy. It has enormous wealth in its people, geography and natural resources and it would be a criminal waste not to take advantage of it. As well as skills and expertise, we have a quarter of Europe's tidal and offshore wind potential and a tenth of its wave power.

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"We understand the scale of the challenge before us but we are more than equipped to meet it. If we want clean, secure, safe and sustainable energy in future, we must deliver Scotland's renewable energy resources.

"I share Reform Scotland's view that Scotland could become the biggest exporter of low carbon electricity in Europe. We already produce 40 per cent of the UK's renewable electricity and with the continued investment we are witnessing, Scotland's energy will continue to be used across the UK and Europe in all future constitutional circumstances, including independence.

"Investing money in renewable energy now will help keep bills down in future, as Ofgem's Project Discovery has shown. Average energy bills have risen up to £190 largely due to volatile wholesale fuel prices, compared to the tiny £15-20 a year renewables incentives are expected add to the average electricity bill in 2011. Only by investing in renewables can we mitigate further price instability."

The Scottish Government's target is to meet the equivalent of 100 per cent of gross annual electricity demand from renewables by 2020.

(GK)