Energy giant SSE has pledged to pour £7 billion into helping the UK economy build back greener from the coronavirus crisis.

The electricity generator said it would start to cut emissions "further and faster" as it builds new wind farms.

Over the next five years, it aims to invest nearly £4 million a day on green projects, including a £580 million onshore wind farm in the Shetland Islands, and a £3 billion offshore site which promises to be the largest in Scotland.

The two farms will create around 800 new jobs and "thousands more in the supply chain", SSE said.

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"It's easy to talk about a green recovery, but we're putting our money where our mouth is with £7 billion of low-carbon infrastructure projects that can deliver a win-win for climate and economy," said chief executive Alistair Phillips-Davies.

"The investment plans we've set out today underline our intentions as a British business providing a boost to the economy and we want to work with Government to make the green recovery and delivery of net zero a reality.

"The world is facing twin crises with the economic impact of coronavirus and the climate emergency and the only route forward is to unlock investment."

He said the company would reduce the carbon intensity of the energy it produces by 60% by 2030, compared with a previous target of 50%.

"Plenty of businesses talk a good game on climate action, but we're serious. That's why we will hold ourselves to account with new science-based emissions reduction targets, independently verified and underpinned by evidence," Mr Phillips-Davies said.

The news came as SSE presented its first set of annual results since selling off its energy supply arm to Ovo late last year.

The company said that when adjusting for that disposal and other one-off changes, profit before tax increased by 49% to just over £1 billion.

Without the adjustments, it fell 55% to £588 million.

SSE said it would take a hit of between £150 million and £250 million from the coronavirus crisis.

Chairman Richard Gillingwater said: "Since March, SSE's overriding priority has been to support the safe and reliable supply of the electricity upon which the people and organisations responding directly to coronavirus depend, and the commitment of people across SSE in challenging circumstances has been outstanding.

"It is still too soon to predict with accuracy the full human, social, economic and business impact of coronavirus, but we have put in place a comprehensive plan to achieve the related objectives of sustaining the dividend payments which provide vital income for people's pensions and savings - income which is now more important than ever - and promoting the long-term success of SSE for the benefit of all its stakeholders."

An Edinburgh bar and restaurant has been said it has been "flooded with overwhelming support" from locals and customers, who have raised over £16,000 ensuring the business’ survival post Covid-19.

Tapa launched a pay-it-forward scheme aiming to raise enough money to stay afloat and be able to reopen after the pandemic crash, which has caused huge struggles across Scotland’s hospitality sector.

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Under the “Wish You Were Here” campaign banner, Tapa aims to recreate an evocative holiday experience for many Scots who will not be able to travel to Spain during summer this year.

The pay-it-forward scheme allowed the public to buy vouchers during lockdown which will be worth almost double their price once the restaurant opens.

Even though the campaign aimed to raise £5,000 over the course of a month, the award-winning restaurant managed to triple its original target within the first 10 days, reaching a total of £16,000 in less than two weeks.

Established in 2009 with a vision to bring authentic Spanish cuisine down to the Shore of Edinburgh, the independent restaurant offers a range of creative tapas using artisanal produce from small, family-run producers.

Daniel Shearon, director at Tapa said: “We are incredibly grateful for the overwhelming support that we have received to get the restaurant going after lockdown. As a small independent business operating in the hospitality industry, we have felt the effects of the pandemic more keenly than most.

“We’ve always been proud to have a core base of loyal customers. They motivate us to improve as a restaurant by enhancing their dining experiences. However, their generosity, trust and support have surpassed all our expectations.

“We can’t wait to be back and welcome our customers, to who we owe the survival of Tapa, and whistle them away to Spain for a few hours in return.”

Unite Scotland has said it will do all it can to support workers based at Clydeport after it said the port operator announced plans to cut its workforce by a fifth.

More than 20 jobs are set to go in July despite plans for a £19m development at Greenock Ocean Terminal which includes a cruise berth being built at the drydock.

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The Ocean Terminal is said to be a key hub for the transportation of imports and exports, as well as a gateway for Scottish tourism through cruise ships.

Clydeport, which is part of the Peel Ports Group has several main terminals including King George V Dock, Greenock Ocean Terminal, Hunterston PARC and Ardrossan. 

Pat McIlvogue, Unite regional industrial officer, said: “Unite has been battling to stave off these compulsory redundancies by Clydeport for weeks now.

"However, more than 20 jobs are set to go by the end of the July following a consultation period. It’s obviously a very worrying time for the workforce but we will be doing all we can to get Clydeport to reconsider this rash decision because everything must be done to save jobs on the Clyde.

"The UK Government's job retention scheme is designed to do exactly this so we are at a loss as to why the company has made this premature decision." 

A spokesman for Peel Ports said: “The economic destruction caused by the coronavirus outbreak is widespread and unforgiving and, like all other port operators worldwide, we are right in the front line.

“It is hugely regrettable that we’re being forced to consider redundancies. Until now, we’ve managed as best we can to mitigate a number of potential redundancies and will continue to do so, but the pandemic has resulted in a significant loss of business.

“For example, we were scheduled to welcome almost 90 cruise vessels at the Greenock Ocean Terminal this year, but that trade has been wiped out by COVID:19 and there have been dramatic reductions in other cargos as world trade decreases.

“Several members of staff indicate they are interested in voluntary redundancy, leaving us with around 14 more potential redundancies being considered across all areas of Clydeport. Our recent investment programme at Greenock is a clear sign of our long-term commitment to the Clyde but we have difficult decisions to make in the short-term to ensure we are in the best possible shape to expand again as things improve.”