MSPs have visited renewables sites in Orkney and Caithness to analyse the development of industry in Scotland's north-east.

The visit will inform the Economy, Energy and Tourism Committee's inquiry into whether the Scottish Government’s targets on renewable energy are achievable, specifically the challenging target that Scotland would generate the equivalent of 100 per cent of Scotland's own electricity demand from renewable resources by 2020.

The report will also recommend further investment levels.

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The visit follows previous visits to Fife and to Griffin Wind Farm.

John Wilson of the Committee said highlands and islands were "key" to meeting energy targets.

He said: "The region is capitalising on the renewable energy revolution and is rapidly developing wind, wave and tidal technologies. Today we have seen how renewable energy industry has changed the landscape of the Island and also discovered the scale of the development of industry. We have also learned more about the challenges facing the newer marine sector of the industry."

Yesterday, MSPs visited Hatston Pier to view a tidal power development, took a sightseeing flight which enabled them to get an aerial view of key onshore and offshore renewable sites and also visited the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) in Stromness.

Today, they visited Caithness, for a tour of the North Highland College Campus’s new Engineering Technology and Energy Centre and their Environmental Research Institute.

The final report will be published in the autumn.

(NE)