Scottish Minister for Energy Launches Tay Cities Region Clean Growth Platform

Gillian Martin MSP, Minister for Energy, launched a new online platform to accelerate clean growth across Tayside’s economy at the University of St Andrews Eden Campus, Guardbridge, Fife, 19 April 2023.

Part of the Tay Cities Region Deal, the launch of the www.taycitiescleangrowth.scot website establishes an online community designed to enable and encourage businesses, industry and academia to collaborate and push low carbon and clean growth innovation, while driving investment within the region.

Energy Minister Gillian Martin MSP, said: “Clean and sustainable growth will be central to our economic transformation. The transition to net zero will require innovation and large-scale collaboration between businesses, communities and public services.

“The Scottish Government is supporting regional partnership working with funding and advice as part of the Tay Cities Region Deal. This initiative is creating an online community to forge new connections and help secure a greener future.”

The Tay Cities Clean Growth website showcases the mix of clean growth projects within and beyond the Tay Cities Region Deal. It is designed to enable wider project development, knowledge exchange and research and development collaboration, as well as create a positive environment for investor engagement.

Cllr Grant Laing, Chair of the Tay Cities Region Deal Joint Committee, said: “With central geography, mixed economy and broad base of academic, professional expertise and active developments, Tayside and Fife are great places to exploit this ongoing economic transformation as we continue to address climate change and post-Covid recovery.

“The region is home to so many passionate and talented businesses and this new platform provides support for collaboration to help our organisations to flourish as they innovate and create the goods and services we need for a sustainable and regenerative economy.”

The Tay Cities Region has particular clean growth strengths in sustainable mobility, green agri-tech, clean energy, the circular economy and data and digital solutions. Any businesses seeking to get involved or find out more should visit www.taycitiescleangrowth.scot

Attendees were given a tour of the Eden Campus, which included a walk round the 6.5MW District Heating Network Centre that provides low carbon heat to 49 University buildings and 3,000 student rooms in St Andrews, as well as a visit to the 1MW Solar PV that delivers green power to the campus.

The Tay Cities Clean Growth Initiative is part-funded and has projects funded via the Tay Cities Region Deal.

Current Projects:

• Michelin Scotland Innovation Parc
• Angus Rural Mobility Hub
• Perth Innovation Highway
• Perth Eco Innovation Park
• Low Carbon Transport & Active Travel Hub Perth
• Mercury Programme - Enabling Infrastructure in North Angus
• Mercury Drone Port, Montrose
• Angus - Centre for Agricultural Sustainable Innovation
• James Hutton Institute - International Barley Hub and Advanced Plant Growth Centre
• Perth Smart Energy Network
• Eden Campus – University of St Andrews and Stretch Dome Simulator
• Perth Smart Energy City Programme
• Angus – Zero Four Business Park
• Project Beacon (advanced plastics recycling) and Binn Eco Innovation Park