Thursday 9 December 2010

Scotland in energy pact with Caribbean and Latin America

Scotland's expertise in developing low carbon technologies is to play a role in advancing clean energy in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Environment Secretary Richard Lochhead has signed an agreement between the Scottish government and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) which will promote Scottish know-how in the development of clean-tech projects in Latin America and the Caribbean.

The Memorandum of Understanding with the IDB comes on the back of the bank's plans to increase its financing for renewable energy and climate-related projects to $3bn by 2012.

This will be funded through the IDB's Sustainable Energy and Climate Change Initiative, which supports low carbon energy options in Latin America and the Caribbean and is a vital element of climate change programmes in the region, which are being discussed at this week's UN climate change talks in Mexico.

Mr Lochhead met in Washington with Robert Vellutini, IDB's vice-president for countries, to formally sign the MoU. He said: "Scotland is determined to be a world-leader for innovation and collaboration in low carbon technologies. This agreement with the Inter-American Development Bank is the latest positive example of Scotland's expertise in developing clean energy technology reaching new audiences and emerging markets.

He added that as part of the deal, a working group would be set up early next year to focus on identifying joint projects, best practice sharing, research and exchange programmes in all sectors of clean energy technology and policy.

Scotland's Enterprise Minister Jim Mather is meet IDB president Luis Moreno in Cancun this week to discuss the contribution such efforts can make to climate change delivery and capacity building. Mr Moreno visited Scotland last year to see work being done on renewable energy technology.