Scottish firm in £6m Chinese renewables deal

A Scottish engineering firm has signed a £6.4m deal to provide the know-how for a renewable energy conversion plant in China. Technology pioneered in Scotland by W2E Engineering will be […]

A Scottish engineering firm has signed a £6.4m deal to provide the know-how for a renewable energy conversion plant in China.

Technology pioneered in Scotland by W2E Engineering will be used to turn domestic waste into energy at the Chinese plant.

The deal was announced as Chinese vice-Premier Li Keqiang and six ministers met with Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond to discuss further possible renewable energy partnerships and investment opportunities.

Mr Salmond said: “China already has the largest deployment of on-shore renewable technology, and Scotland is a world-leader in pioneering the technology and application of clean, green energy. This announcement is another positive step forward in strengthening Sino-Scottish links and confirming Scotland’s reputation as a global leader in the development of renewable energy.”

Dumfries-based W2E turns solid waste into energy by gasification reaction. The company has been awarded contracts for up to 20 new facilities in the UK, Europe and the Caribbean, worth more than £258m.

Following yesterday’s meeting with Mr Li and his ministers, Mr Salmond said: “Our discussions reflected on the strong economic, cultural and educational ties that exist between our two countries and also opportunities to work together more closely on the generation of renewable energy, particularly through inward investment in major renewables infrastructure projects.”

Last year it was predicted that China’s wind power capacity will increase more than five-fold in the next 10 years.

Total installed wind power capacity will reach at least 150 gigawatts by 2020 compared with 25.8 gigawatts at the end of 2009, according to the China Wind Power Outlook 2010 report.

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