" ..Orkney were host to a Japanese marine mission this week, as part of a wider visit to Scotland investigating the role marine energy could play in Japan through the creation of new industries, economic opportunities, and the replacement of their nuclear programme. The mission, which consisted of several companies including Mitsubishi Research Institute and Mizuho Research Institute, met with EMEC representatives today providing an overview of the developments currently taking place in Japan. .. "
" The visitor centre at Whitelee Windfarm near Glasgow has recently closed its doors for the winter break and official figures released by ScottishPower Renewables have revealed that more than 120,000 people have come to see Europe’s largest windfarm in the 12 months that the centre has been opened – four times as many as the company had originally forecast. "
" Scotland's renewable electricity target for the next decade is being raised from 50 per cent to 80 per cent, First Minister Alex Salmond announced today.
The FM confirmed the Scottish Government's increased national target - now 80 per cent of Scottish electricity consumption to come from renewables by 2020 - ahead of a major international conference in Edinburgh next week to help accelerate investment in the growing low carbon economy.
Scotland's existing target was established in 2007 and, aided by a rapid expansion in wind power, the country is on course to exceed its interim target of 31 per cent in 2011.
The Scottish Government has now calculated that significantly higher levels of renewables could be deployed by 2020 with little change to the current policy, planning or regulation framework in Scotland. A separate study for industry body Scottish Renewables, published today, reports similar conclusions.
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