The production of renewable energy in Scotland is a topic that came to the fore in technical, economic, and political terms during the opening years of the 21st century.See, for example, Scottish Executive (2005) Choosing Our Future: Scotland's Sustainable Development Strategy. Edinburgh. The natural resource base for renewable energy is high by European, and even global standards, with the most important potential sources being wind, wave, and tide. Renewables generate almost all of Scotland's electricity, mostly from the country's wind power.
In 2020, Scotland had 12 gigawatts (GW) of renewable electricity capacity, which produced about a quarter of total UK renewable generation. In decreasing order of capacity, Scotland's renewable generation comes from onshore wind, hydropower, offshore wind, solar PV and biomass. Scotland exports much of this electricity. On 26 January 2024, the Scottish Government confirmed that Scotland generated the equivalent of 113% of Scotland's electricity consumption from renewable energy sources, making it the highest percentage figure ever recorded for renewable energy production in Scotland. It was hailed as "a significant milestone in Scotland's journey to net zero" by the Cabinet Secretary for Wellbeing Economy, Fair Work and Energy, Neil Gray. It becomes the first time that Scotland produced more renewable energy than it actually consumed, and demonstrates the "enormous potential of Scotland's green economy" as claimed by Gray.
Continuing improvements in engineering and economics are enabling more of the renewable resources to be used. Fears regarding fuel poverty and climate change have driven the subject high up the political agenda. In 2020 a quarter of total energy consumption, including heat and transportation, was met from renewables, and the Scottish government target is half by 2030. Although the finances of some projects remain speculative or dependent on market incentives, there has been a significant—and, in all likelihood, long-term—change in the underpinning economics.
In addition to planned increases in large-scale generating capacity using renewable sources, various related schemes to reduce carbon emissions are being researched. Although there is significant support from the public, private and community-led sectors, concerns about the effect of the technologies on the natural environment have been expressed. There is also a political debate about the relationship between the siting, and the ownership and control of these widely distributed resources.HICEC. (2006) Highlands and Islands Community Energy Company Annual Review. HICEC. Inverness. . (PDF). Retrieved 31 August 2007.
Realisation of the potential Summary of Scotland's resource potential
TechnologyCurrent capacity (GW)Potential capacity (GW)Potential energy (TWh) Onshore wind8.99111.545.0 Hydro1.667n.a.5.52 Offshore wind2.1662582.0 Biomass0.2720.4513.5 Solar PV0.5056n.a. Landfill Gas0.116n.a0.6 Anaerobic Digestion0.060n.an.a Energy from Waste0.070n.a0.6 Wave and Tidal0.0222579 Sewage Sludge Digestion0.008n.an.a Geothermaln.a.127.6 Solar thermaln.a.n.a.5.8Total13.877 GWabout 70 GW236.6 TWh/year
Targets In 2005 the aim was for 18% of Scotland's electricity production to be generated by renewable sources by 2010, rising to 40% by 2020. In 2007 this was increased to 50% of electricity from renewables by 2020, with an interim target of 31% by 2011. The following year new targets to reduce overall greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by 2050 were announced and then confirmed in the 2009 Climate Change Delivery Plan. Maf Smith, director of the Sustainable Development Commission in Scotland said "Governments across the world are shying away from taking the necessary action. The Scottish Government must be commended for its intention to lead the way".MacDonnel, Hamish (30 January 2008) "Scotland aims to lead world in global warming battle". Edinburgh. The Scotsman.
Scotland aims to produce 50% of all energy (not just electricity) from renewable sources by 2030.
In January 2026, the target for offshore wind in Scotland was increased to 40 GW by 2040, up from the previous ambition of 8–11 GW by 2030. This was announced by the Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Energy, Gillian Martin at the Scottish Renewables Offshore Wind Conference in Glasgow.
It remains a policy of the Scottish Government to reduce emissions to net zero by 2045.
History Electricity production is only part of the overall energy use budget. In 2002, Scotland consumed a total of 175 terawatt-hours (TWh) of energy in all forms, some 2% less than in 1990. Of this, only 20% was consumed in the form of electricity by end users, the great majority of energy utilised is from the burning of oil (41%) and gas (36%). Nonetheless, the renewable electricity generating capacity may be 60GW or more, greater than required to provide the existing energy provided from all Scottish fuel sources of 157TWh.Scottish Renewables (January 2006) Market and Planning Report. Issue No 4.
2002 figures used as a baseline in RSPB Scotland et al. (2006) for electricity production are: gas (34%), oil (28%), coal (18%) and nuclear (17%), with renewables 3% (principally hydro-electric), prior to the substantial growth in wind power output. In January 2006 the total installed electrical generating capacity from all forms of renewable energy was less than 2GW, about a fifth of the total electrical production. Scotland also has significant quantities of fossil fuel deposits, including substantial proven reserves of oil and gas and 69% of UK coal reserves.A Scottish Energy Review. (November 2005) Scottish National Party Framework Paper. Edinburgh. Nonetheless, the Scottish Government has set ambitious targets for renewable energy production.
Most electricity in Scotland is carried through the National Grid, with Scotland's renewable mix thus contributing to the electricity production of Great Britain as a whole."Scotland's electricity and gas networks: vision to 2030". (12 March 2019) Scottish Government. Retrieved 14 February 2021. By 2012, over 40% of Scotland's electricity came from renewable energy, and Scotland contributed almost 40% of the UK's renewables output. At the end of that year there was 5,801megawatts (MW) of installed renewables electricity capacity, an increase of 20.95% (1,005MW) on the end of 2011. Renewable electricity generation in 2012 was a record high at 14,756GWhan increase of 7.3% on 2011, the previous record year for renewables output. In 2015, Scotland generated 59% of its electricity consumption through renewable sources, exceeding the country's goal of 50% renewable electricity by that year."Renewables in Numbers – Scottish Renewables". Scottish Renewables. Retrieved 31 January 2021.
In 2018, Scotland exported over 28% of electricity generation to the rest of the UK. By 2019 renewable electricity generation was 30,528GWh, over 90% of Scotland's gross electricity consumption (33,914GWh) and 21% of overall energy use was produced from renewable sources, against Scottish Government targets of 100% by 2020 and 50% by 2030 respectively."Energy Statistics for Scotland: Q1 2020 figures". (pdf) Retrieved 28 December 2020. At the start of 2020, Scotland had 11.8gigawatts (GW) of installed renewable electricity capacity which produced approximately 25% of total UK renewable generation (119,335GWh).
Economic impact The renewable energy industry supports more than 11,500 jobs in Scotland, according to a 2013 study by Scottish Renewables. With 13.9GW of renewable energy projects in the pipeline, the sector has the potential to grow quickly in the years ahead creating more jobs in the region. Glasgow, Fife and Edinburgh are key centres of offshore wind power development, and the emerging wave power and tidal power industries are centred around the Highlands and Islands. Rural job creation is being supported by bioenergy systems in areas such as Lochaber, Moray and Dumfries and Galloway. Although the finances of some projects remain speculative or dependent on market incentives there has been a significant and in all likelihood long-term change, in the underpinning economics.Valenti, Martin (2020) "Scotland's leading role in the journey to a sustainable, low-carbon future". Scottish Enterprise. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
An important reason for this ambition is growing international concern about human-induced climate change. The Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution's proposal that carbon dioxide emissions should be reduced by 60% was incorporated into the UK government's 2003 Energy White Paper. The 2006 Stern Review proposed a 55% reduction by 2030. Recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change reports have further increased the profile of the issue.The press reports are voluminous. See for example: "A Winter Wonderland" (10 December 2006) Edinburgh. Scotland on Sunday.; "Final Warning" (3 February 2007) London. The Independent.
Hydroelectricity
, Scotland has 85% of the UK's hydroelectricity resource, much of it developed by the North of Scotland Hydro-Electric Board in the 1950s. The "Hydro Board", which brought "power from the glens",Power from the Glens/Neart nan Gleann. Scottish and Southern Energy plc. Retrieved 24 January 2021. was then a nationalised industry, it was privatised in 1989 and is now part of Scottish and Southern Energy plc.Power from the Glens/Neart nan Gleann. Scottish and Southern Energy plc. Retrieved 24 January 2021. p. 1.
, installed capacity is 1.67 GW,Digest of UK Energy Statistics this is 88% of total UK capacity and includes major developments such as the 120MW Breadalbane SchemePower from the Glens/Neart nan Gleann. Scottish and Southern Energy plc. Retrieved 24 January 2021. pp. 20–21 and the 245MW Tummel system.Power from the Glens/Neart nan Gleann. Scottish and Southern Energy plc. Retrieved 24 January 2021. pp. 18–19 Several of Scotland's hydro-electric plants were built to power the aluminium smelting industry. These were built in several "schemes" of linked stations, each covering a catchment area, whereby the same water may generate power several times as it descends. Numerous remote straths were flooded by these schemes, many of the largest of which involved tunnelling through mountains as well as damming rivers.Power from the Glens/Neart nan Gleann. Scottish and Southern Energy plc. Retrieved 24 January 2021. pp. 3, 12. Emma Wood, the author of a study of these pioneers, described the men who risked their lives in these ventures as "tunnel tigers".
, it is estimated that as much as another 1.2GW of capacity remains available to exploit, mostly in the form of micro and small-hydro developments such as those in Knoydart and Kingussie. The 100MW Glendoe Project, which opened in 2009, was the first large-scale dam for almost fifty years.
In April 2010 permission was granted for four new hydro schemes totalling 6.7MW capacity in the Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park."Run-of-river hydro schemes in the National Park". Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
There is also further potential for new pumped storage schemes that would work with intermittent sources of power such as wind and wave. Operational examples include the 440MW Cruachan Dam and 300MW Foyers schemes, while exploratory work for the 1.5GW Coire Glas scheme commenced in early 2023. These schemes have the primary purpose of balancing peak demands on the electricity grid.
Wind power