SNP CHAMPION SCOTLAND'S RENEWABLES FUTURE

SNP CHAMPION SCOTLAND'S RENEWABLES FUTURE

CANDIDATES JOIN FIRST MINISTER TO MAKE WAVES IN ABERDEEN

SNP Leader and Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond today (Thursday)
joined SNP candidates for Aberdeen South Mark McDonald and Aberdeen North
Joanna Strathdee as they launched the SNP's campaign to release the £200m
Fossil Fuel Levy fund.

Scotland's Fossil Fuel Levy - the levy paid by energy producers using
non-renewable sources - was worth £68m when the SNP Government took office
in May 2007. It now stands at almost £200m and is currently languishing in
a Treasury bank account.

By releasing this money, Scotland could embark on the programme of
infrastructure upgrades recomended in the National Renewables
Infrastructure Plan.

Speaking after a visit to Green Ocean Power, a renewables start-up
developing wave technologies in Aberdeen, Mr Salmond said:

“Scotland won the natural lottery once with North Sea oil and we now have
the potential to lead the world again with renewables.

“Aberdeen is the oil and gas capital of Europe and has a wealth of
knowledge and a world renowned skills base. That expertise is now being
deployed as we work to make Scotland the clean, green energy hub of Europe.

“To make that ambition a reality, our infrastructure must be further
developed. The value of the Fossil Fuel fund has virtually trebled since
2007, and with it the potential for Scotland to invest in our green energy
future.

"The fund of almost £200m could be used to kick start the first wave of
infrastructure upgrades identified in the National Renewables
Infrastructure Plan - developing the infrastructure here in Aberdeen as
well as elsewhere in Scotland.

"This would directly benefit 11 towns and communities around Scotland's
shores and bring thousands of new, green jobs.

"SNP MPs at Westminster have been champions of Scotland's low carbon
energy industry. Energy Spokesman Mike Weir scored a real victory for
Scotland's the industry by getting the UK Government to give gas CCS
plants access to the same proposed support as coal CCS. He has also led
the fight at Westminster over transmission charges and getting a fair deal
for the renewable energy industry in Scotland.

"The more SNP MPs Scotland returns at the forthcoming General Election,
the louder the voice speaking up for Scotland's energy sector will be. SNP
MPs will champion Scotland's communities and clean, green energy which
will underpin the long term prosperity of the Scottish economy.”