Scotland's National Renewables Infrastructure Fund will help strengthen port and manufacturing facilities and supply chain provision for manufacturing offshore wind turbines and related components.

Politicians hope it will also leverage private sector investment in the next four years and help deliver an estimated 28,000 jobs and £7.1 billion in value to Scotland’s economy over the coming decade.

Alex Salmond launched the fund, which is being delivered through a partnership of Scottish Enterprise and Highlands & Islands Enterprise until 2015, at RenewableUK 2010, the wind and marine energy industry body’s annual conference & exhibition in Glasgow.

More than 7,000 offshore wind turbines are expected to be constructed off the UK’s coast over the next decade and the Scottish Government and its enterprise agencies are working to support offshore wind farm developers, including by ensuring the provision of Scottish ports and companies able to provide critical manufacturing, operations and maintenance services.

Scottish Enterprise and Highlands & Islands Enterprise will now begin to work with site owners and public sector partners to develop key locations to the required specification that will "fortify Scotland’s position as a key offshore wind development location and attract the associated offshore wind inward investors".