A new project to bring low cost, environmentally friendly energy to Scotland will provide 150 jobs in Rosyth.

The UK's leading liquefied natural gas provider (LNG), Flogas Britain, has teamed up with Norwegian transportation and storage firm Stolt-Nielsen LNG Holdings, to bring the alternative energy to areas not currently served by the natural gas grid.

The fuel will be shipped by Stolt-Nielsen and stored in bulk at the Port of Rosyth before being distributed by Flogas across Scotland by road tanker, mainly to industrial customers.

The initiative is a step towards reducing the cost of energy for homes and businesses located off the national gas network.

This will be cheaper for firms as, at present, Scotland's natural gas supplies are delivered by road from Kent.

Once permits are obtained, building of an LNG terminal can begin in Rosyth which will generate more than 100 jobs during the 18-month construction phase, with 50 more to follow once the site is up and running.

Flogas' head of sales, Rob McCord, said: "This unique project will encourage the development of natural gas infrastructure in Scotland's remote regions and attract substantial investments from leading industrial groups.

“It will encourage the development of a natural gas infrastructure in Scotland’s remote regions and attract substantial investments from leading industrial groups.

“Flogas already supplies gas to many businesses and housing estates in Scotland, and the interest we have from potential new customers is huge. The demand is certainly there. We now need to work with the Scottish Government and our other stakeholders to bring the project to life.”

The target completion date is 2019.

Stolt-Nielsen has already received permission from the Italian government for a similar project in Sardinia.