First Minister Alex Salmond has hailed offshore renewables as a comparative advantage of equal scope and scale to North Sea oil and gas.

On Friday the First Minister said green energy has the power to boost Scotland out of the current global downturn.

He was speaking to an audience of more than 200 business men and women, trade unionists, academics and representatives of national agencies at the Scottish Council for Development and Industry's (SCDI) annual forum in St Andrews.

The First Minister highlighted progress already being made to position Scotland at the forefront of marine renewable energy, including:

• 94 registrations of interest already received from 23 countries for the £10m Saltire Prize for innovation in marine renewables.
• Granting of development rights by the Crown Estate to 10 offshore sites around Scotland - which would have the potential to generate a massive 6GW of offshore windpower, a figure which equates to Scotland's peak electricity consumption.
• Consent for one of the world's largest commercial wave farms off the Western Isles
• The Marine Spatial Plan - to act as a planning tool for developers, regulators and existing users of the marine environment.
• A Marine Bill to be published this spring that will ensure sustainable seas around Scotland.
• And Scotland taking a role on the grid development group to build a European electricity supergrid.
• More than 40 companies have registered interest with the Crown Estate to develop wave and tidal energy projects in the Pentland Firth and surrounding waters

The First Minister said: "When Scotland had its first energy windfall the SCDI played a crucial role in helping to recognise the potential of North Sea oil, by focusing its 1972 conference in Aviemore on oil and Scotland's future.


"Today, Scottish waters present a second energy windfall - offshore renewables - and I hope SCDI will continue its tradition of recognising and developing Scotland's strengths."

The Scottish Council for Development and Industry (SCDI) is an independent membership network which strengthens Scotland's competitiveness by influencing Government policies to encourage sustainable economic prosperity.

The 2009 Forum will focus on the theme of connectivity with a range of high profile international and national speakers. Key areas will include: technology, transport, connecting people in education, business and wider society, and energy.

(GK/JM)