MINISTERS at both Holyrood and Westminster must jointly pledge to improve the grid connections to Scotland's islands within the next few years, a green energy chief has said.
Niall Stuart, chief executive of Scottish Renewables, said the two governments must commit to getting Shetland, Orkney and the Western Isles connected by 2020.
Mr Stuart, speaking at the Scottish Renewables' marine conference in Inverness, said: "If there is one obvious failure of the current regulation of our industry it is the lack of grid connections to Shetland, Orkney and the Western Isles - home to the country's best wind resources and key to development of wave and tidal power.
"We want to see the Scottish and UK governments commit to getting the islands connected before 2020. This will allow the islands to contribute to the cleaning-up of our energy sector, while benefiting from the jobs and investment that would follow."
He was speaking as Scottish Renewables published a paper setting out the way ahead for the £1 billion-a-year green energy sector.
It calls on the Scottish and UK governments to agree a joint strategy document, setting out energy policy for the UK and the role devolved administrations can play.
It also wants the Scottish Government to be given a formal role in the strategy and policy document of the UK Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC), which gives strategic direction to regulator Ofgem.
The Scottish Parliament should have a formal role in holding Ofgem to account for its regulatory decisions in Scotland, with an annual session where MSPs can quiz the chief executive, Scottish Renewables suggested.
Mr Stuart said: "Given the importance of the contribution Scotland and the other devolved nations will make to the UK's energy ambitions, and the growing importance of the sector to all our economies, we believe it is time for a more co-ordinated and strategic approach to the formation of energy policy across the UK."
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