Politics....its a clean business

Imagine my surprise at a recent business hustings for the Scottish elections when a significant proportion of the debate focussed on matters ‘environmental’. First there was discussion about high speed rail links, initially about infrastructure, but rapidly focussing on the potential for carbon emission reductions. Inevitably we moved onto the question of the renewable energy dividend in Scotland – onshore and offshore, wind, wave, tidal and associated research, technology and service jobs. It was fascinating to sense that the politicians and businesses were as one on this. It would seem that clean energy and clean technologies are increasingly viewed as the great commercial hope. Quite right – we should not shy away from the fact that Scotland is well placed geographically, with a skills-base forged in the wilds of the North Sea and research labs up and down the country.


As this aspect of the discussion developed, it was also interesting to note the reaction from the audience when discussing the need for nuclear or gas baseload electricity in a country increasingly reliant on renewable sources. It was intimated that renewable energy was alright if the wind was blowing in the right direction, at the right speed for an adequate amount of time. The argument was delivered in a slightly jaded and cynical way, but received by the audience in a fairly hostile manner. How times have changed! Renewables would not have been on the agenda five years ago, let alone received such positive backing from Scottish businesses. The only thing this part of the debate lacked was reference to microgeneration, energy efficieny, energy storage, smart grids, pollution control, recycling and water treatment and we could have been at any number of environmental technology conferences.

Inevitably, in relation to the above, there was much reference to ‘where the growth is coming from’ and the ‘green jobs dividend’. This also brought in a question about the Green Investment Bank and the intensive lobbying effort to locate this in Edinburgh. All parties were in agreement of course, with a slight jarring note about the fact that the bank cannot borrow (initially at least) and that its balance sheet is tiny in comparison to the spending power of the financial behemoths that we already own!

Regardless of the caveats, in my view the Green Investment Bank in Edinburgh is a good idea because:

It focuses minds and attention on the task of decarbonisation, climate change adaptation, waste reduction and the need for new commercial and investment models to support this.

It will be a major boost to Edinburgh if the lobbying works and will act as a focus for other related financial services businesses – creating a financial and investment centre built on new, innovative models of insurance, asset finance and bonds, for example.

It will inevitably form alliances with other established institutions, perhaps acting as a white label route for their own lending resources. Whatever the form of these alliances, it will serve to encourage the big banks to up their game in terms of environmental products and treating the clean technology and clean energy sectors as worth doing business with. This recognises of course that it is not just about renewables, there are a host of technology and services businesses that will grow up around the broader environmental sector.

It will act as a cradle of innovation and represents a great opportunity for Scottish universities and researchers to work with a UK institution that is on their doorstep. Scotland retains an excellent pool of financial talent which can build careers and reputations around the environmental agenda.

Finally, being in Scotland, means that it is slap bang in the centre of one of the most dynamic and potentially fruitful renewable energy technology hubs in the world. Not to mention a centre for financial innovation and one that has a dynamic research base....and a country for which the environment is one of its main selling points, but as we all know, it is a complicated environment, shaped by the hand of man over many centuries.

The coming Scottish elections are fascinating for many reasons. However, where we have a significant amount of political debate about matters environmental, the business sector acknowledges the role of clean technology and clean energy as growth engines and the financial sector is starting to see the commercial upside, Scotland could actually be looking at economic nirvana in a peak oil world.

Moving Conversations launches at world's biggest television market

Moving Conversations launched to the world's broadcast media at MIPTV in Cannes.  Thanks to Scottish Development International and PACT for their help!

"This could be really big", "This is really clever", "There is definitely something here" - just some of the epithets applied once the producers and broadcasters had seen the showreel.  Next step - turn this enthusiasm into an online or broadcast property.

Interesting to see that in addition to the traditional broadcast scene, there was a big emphasis on 'branded' content and entertainment.  That's exactly what Moving Conversations is, so some great contacts made there.

As with all trade shows.....its all in the follow up.  As Steve Jobs has supposedly said, "its all about perseverence".