Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE) has clearly taken a big interest in what Airtricity is planning and building in Scotland and the North Sea and industry commentators believe it is ready to grow a whole lot more.
Just before it was bought by SSE, the firm had a major wind farm planned in the south of Scotland, likely to be Europe's largest, and others were coming to fruition.
It's not exactly a rags-to-riches story, but it does demonstrate the economic potential of the renewables industry in Scotland.
The entrepreneurial spirit shown by that band of developers in Greenock was freed by establishing a positive framework for delivering large-scale renewable electricity projects a number of years ago.
Of our 167 commercial members, 140 are small to medium-sized enterprises, and, if the renewables industry continues to grow, we hope these businesses will help underpin the principles of sustainable growth which is at the heart Scotland's economic policy.
In 2006, we surveyed all of our members and back then they had a turnover of £550 million and employed more than 2,500 people.
Since then our roll-call has grown by more than 10 per cent, and by adding those players who are not members turnover now stands at well over £1 billion.
That puts the renewables sector in Scotland on the coattails of the other great Scottish success stories of financial services and life sciences.
Indeed, I would say that in a few years' time the renewables sector has the potential to become one of the biggest in
Scotland, contributing several billion pounds to the economy.
The green jobs and sustainable economic growth that renewables can deliverwill be a key theme at the fourth Scottish Renewables annual conference which began in Edinburgh yesterday.
Of course government has a large role to play in helping the industry grow. If the framework is wrong it will have a major negative impact.
But if government gets it right this will be a clear signal that it is serious about harnessing Scotland's natural resources to help create a multi-billion-pound industry that will be ours for keeps, creating a significant amount of wealth and delivering sustainable economic growth.
It's a message that we should be shouting loud and clear.
• The Scottish Renewables annual conference is taking place at the Sheraton Hotel in Edinburgh. More information, visit www.annualconference.co.uk
