Orkney Council leader James Stockan has issued a plea for the islands “not to be ignored” as the race to become one of Scotland’s two green freeports enters its final stages.
Mr Stockan insists a successful Orkney green freeport bid would benefit other regions as well and would use several sites across the islands including marine facilities and airfields.
The council leader also pointed out that the archipelago benefits enormously from Scapa Flow whose depth at its maximum reaches almost 200 feet and is the largest natural deep-water harbour in the northern hemisphere.
Mr Stockan told the Press and Journal: “We have a unique opportunity to have a very green future. Not just looking at ScotWind for today but when ScotWind 2 comes out and beyond and the advent of floating wind, there is no other place in the UK that has the geographical potential Scapa Flow has.
“We are trying to make things work for the developer, for the community, for the nation.”
A decision on which two of Scotland’s current five green freeport bids will be given the nod is expected this summer, although Mr Stockan insists the Council “would not mind waiting” another month if it meant Orkney was successful.
The closest competition to win the status is thought to be between the Opportunity Cromarty Firth (OCF) bid and the North East Scotland Green Freeport consortium.
Another strong bid has been made by Forth Ports taking in partners between Edinburgh and Grangemouth.
Glasgow is also bidding with the Clyde Green Freeport proposal.
Mr Stockan said: “There was a lot of reaction against green freeports because it could disturb the job market or lower wages.
“If we were successful the supply chain elsewhere in the county would really benefit as well.
“We would look more than anything else at not just the financial opportunity, but the possibility of derogation, whether it is energy, shipping or aviation policy, to try and make a real test case that can really accelerate the benefit for everyone.
“Because we are Orcadians and come from a different culture, we always underestimate everything, we would always underplay our potential.
“Jobs would gather here but also incredibly benefit the whole of the islands.
“We are not looking to have thousands of people here but the implication is if we use the very best geography we have particularly for offshore opportunities, we sit right in the middle of all the allocated areas so far in ScotWind 1.
“I am sure we would be even closer to the ScotWind 2 projects than most of the other bidders.”
This area must certainly not be bypassed.”
Orkney Council leader James Stockan
Mr Stockan noted Orkney’s bid could showcase new ideas and even if the council’s bid was unsuccessful, it would be the basis for “a continuous ask.”
The council leader added: “This area must certainly not be bypassed. We don’t want to be ignored in this process because we think we’ve got opportunities which benefit others too. We are not looking to actually build components, we’re looking to be the place where we last fix and put things together.
“I think the whole idea of the Total announcement about making green hydrogen in an oil terminal at Flotta, that conversation and the opportunities around that for making alternative fuels need encouragement from government.
‘Whole of Edinburgh’ could fit inside Scapa Flow
“Regardless of the successful applicant, there must be opportunities for anyone who has made a bid to lobby government for the opportunity their unique area has.
“They (other bids) have compelling cases on the hand, but some have geographical restrictions. You could set the whole of the city of Edinburgh inside Scapa Flow – people have no concept of the long-term opportunity of that area of Orkney.
“We are right in the middle of the energy of the sea, whether wave or tidal with deep water. Most people don’t have anything like the depth of Scapa Flow.”
What is a green freeport?
A “green freeport” is a large zoned area within a defined boundary extending around 28 miles (45km) which includes rail, sea or airport.
Operators and businesses in the zone can benefit from a package of tax and other incentives, with supporters saying they fuel economic growth.
The concept has attracted support from across the political spectrum, apart from the Greens who do not back green freeports.