Britain's green energy industry could soon be booming after it received a boost from a government minister.

Chris Huhne, the energy and climate change secretary, visited the All Energy renewables exhibition in Aberdeen last week and took the opportunity to praise the potential of the UK's green energy industry.

The minister said that there are plenty of prospects in the renewable power sector for job seekers to gain employment and for new businesses to invest and generate profits.

Engineers who have completed gas training courses and commercial gas courses may want to take green energy courses as job opportunities are likely to be created in the renewable power sector in the future, according to the minister.

"There are a lot of opportunities in the rapidly expanding renewable energy sector which need to be taken advantage of. The expertise and skills that have been vital to the oil and gas sector are transferable and will be key to the renewable energy sector as it develops," said Mr Huhne.

Mr Huhne went on to say that the new coalition government shared the same belief that the renewable power sector was crucial to the future of Britain's economy and environment.

He said: "The renewables industry will come of age under this government. It's early days but our coalition agreement is explicit in its support for the sector."

The minister did criticise the current state of the renewable sector for failing to compete with other countries which had less resources.

More people with transferable skills may be required to take green energy courses if Britain is to catch up with its rivals in the renewable power industry.

Mr Huhne said: "One of the biggest scandals is that we've got one of the best renewable energy resources anywhere in the world - and the know how to exploit it - and yet we're one of the worst performing countries when it comes to harnessing it."

Britain's renewable energy industry must mirror the success of the nation's oil and gas sector so that it can stake a claim to be a global leader in new low carbon energy technologies, claimed the minister.

"The prize is too great to let this opportunity pass us by. The UK must reap the rewards from its renewable energy potential just as we do with our oil and gas supplies," the minister said.

Mr Huhne also visited the oil firm Apache, which has taken over the Forties field from BP, and met industry leaders at Oil and Gas UK.