THE Highlands and islands could secure a £100 billion windfall and create over 18,000 jobs through the expansion of renewable energy, a new report has found.
The research found it could even outstrip the peak of the North Sea oil and gas era.
The report only looked at 251 large-scale projects and does not include analysis of the economic impacts on the wider supply chain – including industries such as tourism and food and drink, as well as public-sector spending.
Stuart Black, the chief executive of Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), said the region could become the “engine room” for growing the Scottish economy.
“We know there’s a lot to get right. Bringing these projects to fruition means addressing some serious challenges facing the region and a strong commitment to partnership,” he said.
“But the sheer scale of the potential prize from these efforts makes all that very worthwhile, and that’s where our focus should be.
“The report will be crucial in informing decisions around things like planning and investment in order to realise as much of the potential benefits as possible.”
Councillor Raymond Bremner, chairman of the Highlands and Islands Regional Economic Partnership (HIREP), added: “We stand on the brink of a once-in-a-generation opportunity for economic transformation.
“This scale of opportunity is unprecedented for the Highlands and islands, and possibly for Scotland and the UK.”
The document will be discussed on Monday at the Convention of the Highlands and Islands in Strathpeffer.
The meeting will be attended by Deputy First Minister Katw Forbes.
The research was carried out by Ekosgen and was commissioned by HIE and HIREP.
