Moore welcomes European Commissioner Oettinger to Scotland
As part of a visit to Scotland, European Commissioner for Energy Günther Oettinger attended an energy roundtable in the Scotland Office.
The Secretary of State and Commissioner Oettinger outside the Scotland Office in Edinburgh
Scotland as part of the UK, can play a leading role in Europe’s renewable energy network, the Secretary of State for Scotland, Michael Moore has said as he welcomed European Commissioner for Energy Günther Oettinger to Scotland.
The Commissioner’s first stop of a two-day Scottish visit was to the Scotland Office in Edinburgh to participate in an energy roundtable hosted by the Secretary of State.
The roundtable brought together key Scottish renewable energy stakeholders and representatives from the UK Green Investment Bank. This gave those present an opportunity to engage directly with the Commissioner on issues affecting the renewables sector in Scotland.
The Secretary of State said:
“I was delighted to welcome Commissioner Oettinger to Scotland. The roundtable I hosted today followed on from our meeting in Brussels last December and provided the platform for the Commissioner to hear about Scotland’s renewable energy sector and the role of the UK Green Investment Bank in Scotland
“With the European Union moving towards greater market liberalisation, there will be a strengthened, more accessible UK energy network. The benefits are clear and it makes no sense to add new barriers or additional bureaucracy to jeopardise this approach.
“Through wind, wave and tidal resources, Scotland has vast renewables potential which is being realised by UK subsidies which is creating jobs, new green technologies and boosting Scotland’s economy. This is reducing carbon emissions in Scotland and the rest of the UK in an affordable way and will allow Scotland to play a leading role in Europe’s renewable energy network.”
“When it comes to green energy potential, Scotland benefits from being part of the UK and the UK benefits from being part of the EU. We are all stronger together.”
Commissioner Oettinger said:
“Scotland is an energy powerhouse in Europe. And Europe can help Scotland harness that potential, through its policies to promote renewables, to build the required North Sea networks, to develop an integrated internal energy market that provides a level playing field to market those resources. This is the focus of my discussions with the Secretary of State for Scotland and my other interlocutors during this trip”
After spending the rest of today in Edinburgh meeting amongst others the Scottish Parliament’s Economy, Energy and Tourism Committee, Commissioner Oettinger will move onto Aberdeen on Friday for a meeting with Energy Secretary Edward Davey.