Business Secretary Vince Cable has defended the Scottish Government's support for an offshore wind project which is bitterly opposed by US businessman Donald Trump.
The tycoon put plans for his luxury golf complex in Aberdeenshire on hold because of the decision this week to approve the 11-turbine European Offshore Wind Deployment Centre which, he says, will spoil the view and deter tourists.
Mr Cable, in Aberdeen to launch the UK Government's oil and gas strategy, said: "Although I've been critical of the First Minister's comments on oil and gas prices, I rather agree with what he said about that particular development. He was right to emphasise the importance of offshore wind as a future industry.
"Mr Trump's comments were way over the top."
Reacting to the turbine project approval on Tuesday, Mr Trump said Alex Salmond is obsessed with "obsolete" wind technology which will be the "destruction" of Scotland.
Pledging to spend whatever it takes to stop the development, Mr Trump said: "We will put our future plans in Aberdeen on hold, as will many others, until this ridiculous proposal is defeated. Likewise, we will be bringing a lawsuit within the allocated period of time to stop what will definitely be the destruction of Aberdeen and Scotland itself."
The test centre will lie between 2km and 4.5km off the coast and will be capable of generating up to 100MW, providing energy to meet the needs of 49,000 homes, almost half the number in Aberdeen, according to the Scottish Government.
It aims to allow developers and supply chain companies to test technology offshore before commercial deployment.
The application pitted Mr Trump against Mr Salmond in a bitter and long-running row about the potential impact on the Trump International Golf Links at Menie Estate, itself a controversial development because it covered protected dunes to the north of Aberdeen.
Welcoming the offshore development this week, Mr Salmond said: "A deployment centre will put Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire in pole position for the development of offshore wind technology. Our ambition must be to see Scotland as the home of research, development, fabrication and deployment of deep-water marine technology."
Meanwhile, Scotland generated a record amount of green energy last year, new figures revealed
Renewable sources produced 14,645 gigawatt hours (GWh) of electricity last year, up almost 7% on 2011 and enough to power every home in Scotland, according to the statistics.
Energy Minister Fergus Ewing declared the country "firmly on course" to meet the target of generating the equivalent of 100% of electricity demand from renewables by 2020.
The figures, from the UK Department of Energy and Climate Change, show that wind power generated a record 8,296 GWh last year, up 19% on 2011 and more than four times the amount generated by wind in 2006.
By the end of 2012, installed capacity of renewables was up 22% over the course of the year to 5,883 megawatts.
About a third of the UK's renewable power (35%) came from Scotland, the statistics reveal.
Mr Ewing said: "2012 was another record year for renewables in Scotland. Scotland also contributed more than a third of the entire UK's renewables output, demonstrating just how important a role our renewable resource is playing in terms of helping the UK meet its binding EU renewable energy targets.
"We remain firmly on course to generate the equivalent of 100% of Scotland's electricity needs from renewables by 2020, with renewables generating more than enough electricity to supply every Scottish home."
Environmental campaigners were among those who welcomed the new figures.
Lang Banks, director of WWF Scotland, said: "It is fantastic news that Scotland is well on track to meeting its target of generating 100% of electricity from renewables by 2020.
"By combining Scotland's superb renewable energy resource with greater energy efficiency and investment in the grid, we can reduce our reliance on fossil fuels."
Joss Blamire, senior policy manager at Scottish Renewables, said: "It's been another record breaking year for the renewable energy industry in Scotland, with more of our electricity being produced by renewable energy sources than ever before. And we've doubled the investment being driven into the Scottish economy in just one year.
"We are on track to be Scotland's main source of electricity by the end of this year.
"Renewables is now a major part of our energy mix and is a significant part of our economy."
Trump spokesman George Sorial said: "Anyone who would randomly offer support for this reckless decision, issued just 24 hours after Marine Scotland submitted its final recommendation, is either misinformed or just plain stupid.
"This is Scottish politics at its worst and will erode investor confidence in the current Government.
"Nonetheless, Vattenfall does not have the financial strength to purify the conditions and defend against the lengthy legal challenge that lies ahead.
"This project will never get built and those behind the scheme will be remembered for their lack of common sense and terrible judgment."
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