Renewable energy has been hailed as vital to the Scottish economy.

Members of the Civil Engineering Contractors Association (CECA) made the claim after revealing the renewable sector is responsible for £1 in every £8 spent on infrastructure.

CECA Scotland said in the last year they saw more than £300m worth of activity in renewables.

The number represents around 15% of an estimated £2bn of infrastructure activity, which is estimated to support between 2,000 and 3,000 full time employees.

CECA Scotland Chairman Roger Philpott, of Perth-based contractor I&H Brown, said: "We are not surprised that the renewables sector is currently providing over 15% of Scotland’s annual £2bn civil engineering outturn and is right up there with Scottish Water and Transport Scotland as a main provider of infrastructure work.

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"This is all the more important during a recession where renewables is one of the few growth areas in a Scottish construction market that has suffered a dramatic downturn and significant business failures.

"The Scottish government’s determination to increase renewable power generation and upgrade the distribution network has undoubtedly protected businesses and over 2,000 skilled jobs and, frankly, without renewables many firms, particularly SMEs in Scotland’s more remote and economically sensitive communities, are reporting that they would struggle to keep going."

Fergus Ewing MSP, Scottish Minister for Energy, Enterprise & Tourism, said: "Wind farms and other forms of clean green energy create opportunities for communities across Scotland, enhance energy security and are already delivering jobs and investment.

"This report from the Civil Engineering Contractors Association (CECA) confirms this, and highlights just how important the sector is to the economy - accounting for one pound in every eight spent on infrastructure in Scotland. Our renewable sector, including onshore wind, has a key role to play in sustaining the civil engineering sector, and that role will continue to grow as we move towards our 2020 target."

(IT)