The UK Government has given the go-ahead for a massive expansion of offshore wind energy which will mean the construction of hundreds of new wind turbines in the Firth of Forth.

Mark said:

"This promises to create new jobs in the green technology sector and will play a major part in helping Scotland and the UK to cut carbon emissions.

"With this scale of ambition, the sector can become a major part of our manufacturing future.

"We have to meet our energy needs by rapidly increasing renewable energy with schemes like this rather than relying on high carbon fossil fuels that harm the environment."

Mark has been a strong advocate of the creation of green jobs for both economic and environmental reasons. To read a speech by him on this following the Budget in April click here.

He is also a member of the House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee which has just produced a major report on the issue. To read it click here.

The UK Government has also awarded a grant of £1.5 million to a company in Fife to build the structures on which the turbines are secured at sea. Clearly, there is the potential to create new jobs locally to produce the technology and plant necessary on a large-scale.

The project in the Firth of Forth is one of nine around the UK coast which the Crown Estate (the body responsible for renewable vigour in UK waters) has agreed with companies. The other scheme in Scotland is in the Moray Firth and together the two projects will involve building up to 1,000 wind turbines.

The two schemes are projected to produce 4.9GW in total which is around 40% of Scotland's current electricity demand.

The announcement has been welcomed by environmental groups such as Greenpeace and the World Wildlife Fund Scotland which has said that the turbines shouldn't be a serious intrusion on the view out to sea.

Despite the disappointing outcome of the Copenhagen Conference, this new announcement shows the UK Government's determination to meet the tough targets it has set itself to cut emissions. It will also ensure that the UK  continues to lead the world in offshore wind energy with the independent Carbon Trust projecting that it could create up to 70,000 new jobs over the next decade.

For full details of the announcement by the Crown Estate click here.