|
BIOMASS SUMMIT BRINGS OFF-SEASON
VISITOR BOOST
Elgin's
tourism industry has received a boost as more than 100
delegates arrived in the town for a prestigious international
conference.
Hotels and restaurants in the area have seen an increase in
bookings during the two-day biomass summit at a traditionally
quiet time of year.
Delegates began arriving at the weekend and many will stay on
until tomorrow before heading for home.
The Eight Acres Hotel, where the conference is being staged,
has been the main beneficiary, although other hotels and
guesthouses in Elgin have also seen an increase in bookings.
Donald Thain, operations manager at the Eight Acres, said: "We
are fully booked and 99% of that is due to the conference
delegates.
"It is welcome business at this time of year. The period
towards the end of November is usually fairly quiet before we
get into the Christmas rush."
On the first day of the conference yesterday, the forestry and
farming industries were urged to work together to take
advantage of emerging opportunities for the production of
green energy.
Deputy Minister for the Environment and Rural Affairs, Rhona
Brankin, said the development of biomass plants would go a
long way towards meeting renewable energy targets set by the
Scottish Executive.
Ms Brankin told the conference, which is focusing on the
potential of using timber and agricultural crops as a source
of energy, that biomass was important to the development of
rural Scotland.
She said Scotland had recognised the need to act quickly to do
everything possible to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
"The Scottish Executive supports many initiatives designed to
encourage and facilitate the delivery of increased biomass
usage as an alternative energy source," said Ms Brankin.
"We have set targets to increase the production of electricity
generated from renewable sources to 40% by 2020, and we are
working with stakeholders to hammer out details for the
development of a Scottish biomass support scheme."
Ms Brankin said low-cost community heating projects -
particularly important in rural parts of Scotland - were being
encouraged, but a great deal still had to be learned and a
more integrated approach across Scotland would help to realise
the full potential of biomass as an energy source.
She told delegates: "Bio-energy provides new opportunities for
agriculture and forestry to work together, and this conference
aims to stimulate closer co-operation.
"You have the chance to make changes in energy production that
will engage and benefit even the smallest of communities in
Scotland.
"With our expanding forest resource and extensive agricultural
sector, I urge delegates to engage with each other and work
towards the development of a better, greener future delivering
greater benefits to rural communities."
Conference delegates include representatives from north and
north-east local authorities, the Forestry Commission, the
National Farmers Union Scotland and Scottish Natural Heritage.
Overseas countries represented include Finland, Iceland,
Holland, Germany, Belgium and Sweden.
|
