SNP ministers and the Scottish Greens were urged today to set a “stretching but achievable” target to massively increase Scotland’s capacity for solar power as part of formal power-sharing talks.

Solar Energy Scotland argues that such a move could help boost the economy, saying that every gigawatt of new solar capacity creates 500 full-time equivalent jobs.

The organisation has pressed the issue in a letter to both First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and the co-leaders of the Scottish Greens as the two parties are now in discussions on a possible formal co-operation agreement whereby Greens could join the Scottish Cabinet.