A renewable way of thinking

Around 3,000 delegates from around the world will descend on Glasgow tomorrow (Wednesday 11 June) to discuss the growing offshore wind sector, generating £2.4 million* for the city in the process.

Fergus Ewing MSP, Scotland’s Minister for Energy, Enterprise and Tourism, and Michael Fallon MP, Business and Energy Minister, will be among those to address offshore energy experts from as far afield as South Korea, Japan and North America at the major two-day event, which is supported by the VisitScotland Conference Bid Fund.

Held at the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre tomorrow and Thursday, Global Offshore Wind 2014 is organised by RenewableUK and will include sessions covering topics such as the long-term future of offshore energy, current developments and lessons on construction.

There will also be a series of networking events. The conference is expected to lead to expenditure of around £2.4m in the local economy.

Garth Halliday, RenewableUK’s Director of Events, Marketing and Membership, said: “RenewableUK is delighted to be holding Global Offshore 2014 in Glasgow. It’s a natural choice for us, as Scotland is at the forefront of the UK’s clean energy revolution, and this great city is home to a number of companies operating in the fast-growing offshore wind sector, including the burgeoning supply chain.

“When we say global we mean it – many of the 3,000 delegates attending will be coming from abroad, from countries ranging from the Far East, such as South Korea and Japan, to North America - the USA and Canada.

“Every time we’ve come to Glasgow, we’ve had a warm welcome in the superb facilities this city has to offer, so when it comes to creating a great impression for all our national and international delegates, this is a venue of choice.”

Kerry Watson from VisitScotland’s Business Tourism team said: “It is testament to Glasgow that it continues to attract such high-profile conferences, leading to a significant boost to the economy. The VisitScotland Conference Bid Fund played a big role in securing this event and I am sure delegates will enjoy their stay in Glasgow, especially with the city abuzz with just six weeks to go until the Commonwealth Games – the biggest sporting event ever held in Scotland.”

Energy, Enterprise and Tourism Minister Fergus Ewing said: “Scotland has a world-class renewables sector, which is why it attracts major conferences such as Global Offshore Wind 2014. Our commitment to harnessing Scotland’s energy wealth – both onshore and offshore – will ensure that renewables continue to provide low carbon energy supplies as well as jobs, investment, and opportunities for Scotland’s communities long into the future.

“The VisitScotland Conference Bid Fund has been instrumental in helping to attract prestigious, high-yield, high-spend international conferences such as this and in helping make Scotland more competitive within the international conference market.”

Aileen Crawford, Head of Conventions at Glasgow City Marketing Bureau (GCMB), said: “We have been working closely with RenewableUK for Global Offshore Wind and we are delighted to welcome their conference to Glasgow in 2014, bringing a wealth of experts from across the world to the city and providing a significant boost to the local economy.

“RenewableUK’s decision to host Global Offshore Wind in Glasgow reflects the strength of the city’s green credentials and our ambitions to become a European leader in environmental sustainability. As the UK’s first green energy super-city, Glasgow truly is the perfect home for this meeting.

“Furthermore, Glasgow is one of Europe’s premier business tourism destinations, and the commitment to partnership working across the city’s conventions sector is what sets us apart from our competitors and appeals to conference organisers.”

Set up in 2012, the VisitScotland Conference Bid Fund has helped to secure conferences in Scotland with a predicted spend by attendees of £106 million. So far, 46 international association conferences – going up to the year 2021 – have been secured from Bid Fund investments totalling £936,000.

This has been match-funded by local authorities from around the country for selected not-for-profit conferences. The conferences, which are expected to attract a total of around 62,000 delegates, cover everything from life sciences and education to food and drink and renewable energy.

Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Dundee, have all been making use of the Bid Fund, with other conferences taking place in the likes of Perth, St Andrews and Shetland.

ENDS

* Projected spend at an individual conference is based on delegate multipliers according to the type of event, duration, and number of delegates.

For more information contact Tom Maxwell, tom.maxwell@visitscotland.com, 0131 472 2409