GB Energy keynote to address Highlands green energy opportunity

Guy Arnold, deputy director for supply chain at GB Energy, will deliver a keynote address explaining how the organisation will plug into the region’s energy ecosystem.

View the full agenda here >>

He will be joined by business leaders, policymakers and energy sector figures in Inverness examining whether the region can convert green energy investment into lasting economic growth.

The conference takes place at the Kingsmills Hotel on June 11, marking five years since the first event launched amid growing optimism around Scotland’s renewable energy future.

This year’s conference comes at a pivotal moment.

The UK Government’s new GB Energy initiative has placed energy infrastructure, supply chains and regional economic impact firmly back on the agenda.

The conference will explore whether the Highlands and Islands can secure a meaningful share of that opportunity.

The region is already central to Scotland’s renewable energy ambitions, with major offshore wind developments, grid infrastructure investment, port upgrades and growing activity across hydrogen and energy supply chains.

But questions remain over whether communities will see the full economic benefit.

Senior figures from SSEN Transmission, DESNZ, Highland Council, the Inverness & Cromarty Firth Green Freeport, EMEC and industry operators will examine progress over the past 12 months and the wider changes seen since the conference launched five years ago.

A major focus will be whether policy ambition is being matched by delivery.

Skills shortages, housing constraints and transport challenges continue to create barriers for employers trying to build long-term workforces in the region.

A dedicated skills panel featuring representatives from UHI, OPITO, Deloitte and HI-Skills will examine how businesses can attract and retain talent while navigating shifting policy priorities.

Community support will also be a central theme.

A keynote from Highland CIC chair Yvonne Crook and a later panel discussion sponsored by Fred. Olsen Renewables will look at how developers can secure local backing while addressing growing concerns around infrastructure, disruption and community benefit.

Later sessions will focus on unlocking commercial opportunity, with speakers discussing project approvals, supply chain access and the pace at which businesses must respond when funding windows open.

The event will conclude with a young voices panel exploring how the next generation sees the future of Scotland’s energy economy.

Nicky Marr, conference chair, said: “The Highlands and Islands have moved from being seen as peripheral to becoming central to Scotland’s green energy future. The key question now is how that opportunity translates into jobs, investment and long-term prosperity for communities.”