EDINBURGH, Scotland, June 7 (UPI) -- Spanish and Portuguese companies teamed with an offshore wind company in Scotland to help the country meet ambitious energy targets, the government said.
Scotland aims to get 100 percent of its electricity demand met through renewable energy sources by 2020.
Spanish energy company Repsol purchased the offshore wind unit of Scottish energy company SeaEnergy Plc. Repsol said it plans to form a joint venture with Portugal's EDP Renovaveis to develop up to 2.4 gigawatts of offshore wind projects in Scottish waters.
Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond said in a statement the move into the renewable energy sector of his country was a vote of "is a massive vote of confidence in Scotland's offshore wind sector and in the significant opportunities that are available for leading utilities and developers."
Scottish Energy Minister Fergus Ewing in May said Scotland aims to become the "green energy powerhouse of Europe" through its ambitious renewable energy objectives.
The government in Edinburgh aims to invest roughly $490 million to develop the next generation of offshore wind turbines.
