Scotland's Economy

  • Scotland and Poland: European partners

    23rd January 2019 by

    Despite the uncertainty over Brexit, Scotland remains open for business and the EU remains our single largest market for international exports. During a recent trade show in Germany, an emerging consortia of Polish Energy majors and trade bodies expressed an interest in learning more about Scottish experience and expertise in planning, developing, and managing major…

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  • This week: 21/12/2018

    21st December 2018 by

    £2m to assist Glasgow’s fire recovery Around £1.85 million of the Scottish Government’s Fire Recovery Fund is to be used by Glasgow City Council to provide business rates relief and support business recovery. Every business in the immediate fire cordon area and eligible businesses in the wider Sauchiehall Street area will receive 100% business rates…

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  • How can we improve our energy?

    28th April 2017 by

    How can we improve our energy? What difference will it make? This is my second blog in a series covering the draft Energy Strategy while it’s out to consultation, and today I’m looking at our current use of energy and how our planned changes might affect our day to day lives and how changes might…

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  • The future of energy in Scotland

    6th April 2017 by

    Minister for Business, Innovation and Energy Paul Wheelhouse with the first in a series of four blogs on the draft Energy Strategy, currently in consultation.

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  • Renewables in Scotland: Adding Up to a Brighter Future

    4th August 2014 by

    Let’s start with some facts about renewable energy – leaving aside, briefly, the industry’s significant contribution to Scotland’s energy mix. First, Department of Energy and Climate Change research shows 80% of the UK public back “the use of renewable energy for providing our electricity, fuel and heat”, while just one in 20 oppose the idea….

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  • World leader in offshore renewables

    12th June 2014 by

    Scotland has the potential to be a world leader in all stages of offshore renewable energy – from technological development to manufacturing, to the generation of electricity. That potential will only be fully realised across the country – and making sure that the benefits are spread across Scotland is an important aim of ours. Progress…

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  • Swinney visits Samsung in Korea

    19th April 2012 by

    Daylight on Geoje Island in Korea revealed an amazing sight – the Samsung shipyards. It is hard to convey how overwhelming is their presence. In one dry dock, the size of six football pitches, four container vessels were under construction. And that was just one relatively small part of the site.

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  • Scottish produce top of the menu in Japan

    17th April 2012 by

    An early start to day two of my Japan visit and the focus continues to be on Scotland’s growth industries. Over lunchtime, Scottish Development International put together an excellent event to showcase Scotland’s wonderful food and drink – one of our largest export successes.

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  • Enterprise areas

    17th January 2012 by

    I was delighted to visit GlaxoSmithKline inIrvinetoday to announce the locations ofScotland’s four new Enterprise Areas – fulfilling the pledge we made in the Government’s Economic Strategy. The Glaxo site will form part of the Life Sciences Enterprise Area along with locations in Moray, the Highlands, Edinburgh and Midlothian. There are two proposed Enterprise Areas…

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  • Project Transmit

    7th January 2012 by

    I have been working with Ofgem, the National Grid, the energy sector, Western Isles, Shetland and Orkney Island councils and other interested parties to find a solution for electricity transmission charging which works for Scotland.

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