A new factory in the Highlands is to generate 150 green jobs and attract £200m of inward investment.

Sumitomo Electric Industries has confirmed it will invest more than £200m in a planned new Highlands sub-sea cable factory and create 150 highly skilled green jobs. It announced the plans during a Scottish Government-led three day trade mission to Japan.

Energy secretary, Neil Gray, who discussed the investment with senior company executives in Osaka, recently, welcomed the confirmation. He said:“Sumitomo’s proposed investment in Scotland can promote rapid expansion of the renewables industry by connecting hundreds of offshore wind turbines.

“I met senior company executives in Osaka last month to discuss this investment and we are working closely with our enterprise agencies and other partners to support and ensure it delivers maximum benefit for Scotland.

“These will be highly skilled green jobs from a business with a strong record in producing high-voltage underground cables. The cables and the wind turbines they connect can help reduce emissions as part of the fastest possible just transition for our oil and gas workforce.

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“Our world leading Scotwind leasing round will play a key part in helping create thousands of renewables jobs and we strongly welcome commitments made by the successful developers to invest more than £28bn.

“Scotland has the skills, talent and natural resources with which to become a global renewables powerhouse. Through our draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan, we aim to take advantage of the enormous opportunities offered by becoming a net zero economy by 2045.”

The Cabinet Secretary also met companies across the renewables and supply chain sectors and built new inward investment opportunities.