18 January 2017

The First Minister opened the new EDF Energy Renewables office in Edinburgh.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said:

“I’m delighted that EDF Energy shares our confidence in a bright future for renewables in Scotland, as evidenced by this office opening today. EDF Energy Renewables has built strong relationships with Scottish industry – making a commitment to use towers manufactured in Scotland by CS Wind UK, using local supply chain companies, wherever possible, and developing renewables in areas like the Western Isles. It’s fantastic to see this Edinburgh office is set to create a further 35 jobs.”

“We achieved the equivalent of almost 60% of Scotland’s electricity demand from renewables in 2015, and as we race towards achieving the equivalent of 100% gross electricity consumption from renewables by 2020, this will further boost our energy sector and economy. We will outline our plan for Scotland’s energy future in our draft Energy Strategy later this month.”

We're proud to announce our continued investment in #Scotland with a new #Edinburgh office opened by CEO Vincent de Rivaz & @NicolaSturgeon pic.twitter.com/tWekmTihD2

— EDF Energy (@edfenergy) January 17, 2017

During the opening ceremony, EDF Energy’s CEO Vincent de Rivaz signed the Scottish Business Pledge, the Scottish Government initiative which aims for a fairer Scotland through more equality, opportunity and innovation in business. He also announced a three-year partnership with Edinburgh International Science Festival as part of their wider programme to inspire Scotland’s young people to take up careers in science and technology and boost skills and education.

The First Minister added:

“EDF Energy’s commitment to the Scottish Business Pledge is demonstrable – investing in a plethora of STEM activities for young people, employing more than 50 Modern Apprentices and achieving Living Wage accreditation. Their three-year investment in the Edinburgh International Science Festival further cements their ambitions with regard to community engagement at a cultural and educational level. It’s great to see their commitment to the Pledge formalised today as we continue our work with businesses to build a fairer and more prosperous Scotland.”