Malcolm Chisholm (Edinburgh North andLeith) (Lab):
I welcome last week's proposals in relation to enhanced renewables obligation certificates for marine energy. However, does the First Minister accept that that will not help companies that are developing the technology and those at the early stages of production, such as the pioneering Pelamis Wave Power in my constituency? Will he consider urgently what help can be given to such companies, so that Scotland can develop into the leading marine energy player that we all want it to be?
The First Minister:
The announcements that we have made giveScottish marine renewables a significant advantage not just over any other frameworkin the continent of Europe but over our colleagues south of the border. Thatis why Pelamis is now being deployed in Scotland. If Malcolm Chisholm remembers,under the previous Administration, Pelamis was a technology that originated inScotland but was deployed in Portugal. It is now being deployed in Scottish waters.That joins this week's announcement of the world-record deployment of wave arraysin Scotland and of the biggest tidal power array to be developed and deployedin Scotland. In every one of those marine technologies, which could well dominateenergy production over the course of this century, Scotland is indeed rulingthe waves. October 2nd 2008, (Columns 11452-3)