Home   News   Article

Virtual SHREC launched as Highlands and Islands Renewable Energy Day is delayed


By Calum MacLeod

Easier access to your trusted, local news. Subscribe to a digital package and support local news publishing.



Click here to sign up to our free newsletters!
The north’s renewable energy day has been moved to a new date.
The north’s renewable energy day has been moved to a new date.

A special day celebrating the Highlands and Islands renewable energy sector has joined the long list of events put on hold as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

Both elements of renewable energy day, the daytime Scottish Highland Renewable Energy Conference (SHREC) and the evening Highlands and Energy Awards, have been pushed pack to a new date of Thursday, September 24, still at the Kingsmills Hotel, Inverness.

However, organisers Harper Macleod and Highland News and Media (HNM) are asking people to keep the original date in the diary.

While health concerns mean that neither SHREC nor the awards will be taking place on April 30, plans are under way to have an online conference as a taster for the main event later in the year.

A spokesman for Harper Macleod, the leading law firm which has hosted the SHREC conference every year since 2010, said: “Postponing the event is, of course, the most responsible course of action at this time.

“Our primary concern as a business is the health and wellbeing of everyone – including colleagues, clients and the communities within which we work.

“However, we are delighted to say that along with our friends at Highland News and Media, the venue and guest speakers, we have pencilled in a new date of September 24 to hold both the SHREC conference and the awards and we hope that everyone will be in a position to join us at that time.

“And while we can’t host a physical conference on April 30, this won’t stop us from celebrating SHREC on that day. We are working on exciting content that can be delivered to ‘delegates’ virtually on that date and will share more details of this over the coming weeks.”

He added that Harper Macleod was using its legal expertise to support businesses through the current crisis.

“As a business that helps clients in all sectors, many of whom are dealing with difficult issues at this time, we have also set up a dedicated webpage where businesses can find advice about and key contacts for a range of legal issues. This can be found at harpermacleod.co.uk/coronavirus,” he said.

Registration for SHREC will remain valid for the new conference date.

The later date has allowed awards organisers HNM, publisher of 18 newspapers across the Highlands, Moray and Aberdeenshire, to extend voting for the eight open categories.

Entrants will now have until 11.59pm on Saturday, August 15 to put themselves forward for the awards.

HMN events manager Emma Glass said: “Following discussion with our partners at Harper Macleod we have taken the difficult decision to postpone the Highlands and Islands Renewable Energy Awards due to the coronavirus outbreak.

“We feel this is the most responsible course of action to take. There’s still a lot for us to celebrate and we will be sure to do it in style in September!”

To enter the awards or book a place at the black-tie dinner event on its new date, visit hnmedia.co.uk/renewable-energy-day

SHREC remains free to attend, but spaces are limited and should be booked in advance.

To register, call 01463 796666 or visit www.harper-macleod.co.uk/events


Do you want to respond to this article? If so, click here to submit your thoughts and they may be published in print.



This site uses cookies. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies - Learn More