Campaigners claim a year's delay in the development of an offshore wind farm near Tiree is a blow to the Scottish Government's 2020 green energy targets.
Spanish-owned Scottish Power Renewables said there will be a further delay for the Argyll or Tiree Array which would see between 180 and 300 turbines installed near the island.
A ScottishPower spokesman said: "During this period, the company, acting as a responsible developer, will work alongside other agencies to study the results of initial detailed environmental studies of the project area."
It would enable monitor ing of improvements in turbine, foundation and vessel technology.
Robert Trythall of the No Tiree Array campaign said even if the Array was built it would not be at full generation until 2023/24.
It would be irrelevant to the Scottish Government's goal of the equivalent to 100% of Scotland's energy needs coming from renew-ables by 2020, he added.
A Scottish Government spokeswoman said: "The target of the equivalent of 100% of electricity demand from renewables by 2020 is not contingent on individual developments or technologies, but will be achieved through a balanced energy mix."
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