Balancing the Highlands' massive potential for renewables with increasingly forceful environmental concerns will be a central theme of the Scottish Highland Renewable Energy Conference in Inverness this month.

Sponsored by lawyers Harper Macleod, the April 18 event will feature presentations by the firm's head of energy David Bone, Enterprise Minister Fergus Ewing, and Sunday Herald deputy business editor Steven Vass on the topic of "Renewables and the Referendum".

"The Highlands have got some of Scotland's biggest renewable resources as well as its most scenic and sensitive areas," said Bone.

"We will be discussing land policy that strikes the right balance. Speakers from Highland Council and Scottish Natural Heritage will be looking at how we maximise our terrific natural resources while not prejudicing our great scenery."