Renewable energy in Scotland

Realisation of the potential

Summary of Scotland's resource potential

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".

Scotland aims to produce 50% of all energy (not just electricity) from renewable sources by 2030.

An ambitious target has been set with a 7 year plan to build an extra 8GW of offshore wind power by 2030.

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.

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. and 69% of UK coal reserves. 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. 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.

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. 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).

Rise in renewable capacity

Date supplied by scottishrenewables.com

;Electricity generated by source

Date supplied by gov.scot

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.

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. Recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change reports have further increased the profile of the issue.

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", was then a nationalised industry, it was privatised in 1989 and is now part of Scottish and Southern Energy plc.

, installed capacity is 1.67 GW, this is 88% of total UK capacity and includes major developments such as the 120MW Breadalbane Scheme and the 245MW Tummel system. Several of Scotland's hydro-electric plants were built to power the aluminium smelting industry. 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.

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

Main article: Wind power in Scotland

Wind power is the country's fastest growing renewable energy technology, with 8,423MW of installed capacity as of 2018. On 7 August 2016, a combination of high wind and low consumption caused more wind power generation (106%) than consumption. Scottish wind turbines provided 39,545MWh during the 24 hours of that date, while consumption was 37,202MWh. It was the first time that measurements were available to confirm that fact. Electricity generated by wind in November 2018 was enough to power nearly 6million homes and wind production outstripped total electricity demand on twenty days during that month. This latter outcome was described by environmental group WWF Scotland as "truly momentous".

The target for 2030, made in 2023, was for 11GW of offshore wind by 2030. This would represent an increase of 400% in offshore wind and a 60% increase in total wind generated power.

Onshore

The 54-turbine Black Law Wind Farm has a total capacity of 124MW. It is located near Forth in South Lanarkshire and was built on an old opencast coalmine site, with an original capacity of 97MW from 42 turbines. It employs seven permanent staff on site and created 200 jobs during construction. A second phase saw the installation of a further 12 turbines. The project has received wide recognition for its contribution to environmental objectives. The United Kingdom's largest onshore wind farm (539MW) is at Whitelee in East Renfrewshire.

There are many other onshore wind farms, including some—such as that on the Isle of Gigha—which are in community ownership. The Heritage Trust set up Gigha Renewable Energy to buy and operate three Vestas V27 wind turbines. They were commissioned on 21 January 2005 and are capable of generating up to 675kW of power and profits are reinvested in the community. The island of Eigg in the Inner Hebrides is not connected to the National Grid, and has an integrated renewable power supply with wind, hydro and solar and battery storage, and a rarely used diesel backup.

The siting of turbines is sometimes an issue, but surveys have generally shown high levels of community acceptance for wind power. Wind farm developers are encouraged to offer "community benefit funds" to help address any disadvantages faced by those living adjacent to wind farms. Nonetheless, Dumfries and Galloway's local development plan guidance concludes that "some areas are considered to have reached capacity for development, due to the significant cumulative effects already evident".

Offshore

The Robin Rigg Wind Farm is a 180MW development completed in April 2010, which is Scotland's first offshore wind farm, sited on a sandbank in the Solway Firth. Eleven of the world's most powerful wind turbines (Vestas V1648.4MW each) are located in the European Offshore Wind Deployment Centre off the east coast of Aberdeenshire.

It is estimated that 11.5 GW of onshore wind potential exists, enough to provide 45TWh of energy. More than double this amount exists on offshore sites The total offshore potential is estimated at 25GW, which although more expensive to install, could be enough to provide almost half the total energy used. Also in 2010, discussions were held between the Scottish Government and Statoil of Norway with a view to developing a 5-turbine floating windfarm, possibly to be located off Fraserburgh. In July 2016, RSPB challenged development in the Firth of Forth and Firth of Tay.

Moray East Offshore Wind Farm was granted consent for a 1,116MW development in 2014 by the Scottish Government. The 103rd and final jacket for the project was installed in December 2020. The Hywind Scotland array off the coast of Peterhead is the world's first floating wind farm. It consists of five 6MW turbines which have a rotor diameter of 154m and is aimed at demonstrating the feasibility of larger systems of this type.

Wave power==

Various systems have been developed since the 1970s, aimed at harnessing the enormous potential available for wave power off Scotland's coasts. Early development of wave power was led by Stephen Salter at the University of Edinburgh, on the Edinburgh or Salter's duck, although this was never commercialised.[[File:Pelamis at EMEC.jpg|thumb|[[Pelamis Wave Energy Converter|Pelamis]] on site at EMEC, the marine test centre]]One of the first grid-connected wave power stations was the Islay LIMPET (Land Installed Marine Power Energy Transformer) energy converter. It was installed on the island of Islay by Wavegen Ltd, and opened in 2001 as the world's first commercial-scale wave-energy device. However, in March 2013, the new owners Voith Hydro decided to close down Wavegen choosing to concentrate on tidal power projects. The Siadar Wave Energy Project was announced in 2009. This 4MW system was planned by npower Renewables and Wavegen for a site 400 metres off the shore of Siadar Bay, in Lewis. However, in July 2011 holding company RWE announced it was withdrawing from the scheme, and Wavegen was seeking new partners.

Edinburgh based Ocean Power Delivery, later Pelamis Wave Power, developed the Pelamis Wave Energy Converter between 1998 and 2014. Both the P1 and P2 devices were tested at the European Marine Energy Centre in Orkney, and three P1 machines were installed in Portugal at the Aguçadoura Wave Farm in late 2008. In 2009, the Swedish power firm Vattenfall started development of the Aegir Wave Farm off the west coast of Shetland which would use Pelamis devices, however the project was cancelled after Pelamis went into administration.

Following the demise of Pelamis and Aquamarine Power, Wave Energy Scotland was set up in 2014 to facilitate the development of wave energy. It was set up by the Scottish Government as a subsidiary of Highlands and Islands Enterprise. However, although Scotland has "more wave and tidal devices deployed in our waters than anywhere else in the world" commercial production from wave energy has been slow to develop. Between 2015 and 2022, the Wave Energy Scotland programmes helped fund the development and demonstration of parrt-scale devices by Mocean Energy and AWS Ocean Energy, which were then tested at EMEC. The Mocean device was redeployed within their Renewables for Subsea Power project, providing power for over a year to autonomous monitoring for oil and gas projects.

Tidal power

Unlike wind and wave, tidal power is an inherently predictable source, and there are many sites around Scotland where it could be harvested to generate power. The Pentland Firth between Orkney and mainland Scotland has been described as the "Saudi Arabia of tidal power" and may be capable of generating up to 10GW, although a more recent estimate suggests an upper limit of 1.9GW. In March 2010 a total of ten sites in the area, capable of providing an installed capacity of 1.2GW of tidal and wave generation were leased out by the Crown Estate. Several other tidal sites with considerable potential exist in the Orkney archipelago. Tidal races on the west coast at Kylerhea between Skye and Lochalsh, the Grey Dog north of Scarba, the Dorus Mòr off Crinan and the Gulf of Corryvreckan also offer significant prospects.

The "world's first community-owned tidal power generator" became operational in Bluemull Sound off Yell, Shetland, in early 2014. This 30kW Nova Innovation device fed into the local grid, and was replaced by a 100kW tidal turbine connected in August 2016. The array was expanded to six turbines in January 2023, although the three oldest turbines were removed a few months later.

At the opposite end of the country a 2010 consultants' report into the possibility of a scheme involving the construction of a Solway Barrage, possibly south of Annan, concluded that the plans "would be expensive and environmentally sensitive." In 2013 an alternative scheme using the VerdErg Renewable Energy spectral marine energy converter was proposed for a plan involving the use of a bridge along the route of an abandoned railway line between Annan and Bowness-on-Solway.

In October 2010 MeyGen, a consortium of Morgan Stanley, Atlantis Resources Corporation and International Power, received a 25-year operational lease from the Crown Estate for a 400MW tidal power project in the Pentland Firth. In September 2013 the Scottish Government granted permission to Meygen for the commencement of the "largest tidal energy project in Europe" and the developer announced the installation of a 9MW demonstration project of up to six turbines, expanding to an 86MW array tidal array. Commercial production commenced in November 2016, with the four turbines of Phase 1 installed by February 2017. Current owners SIMEC Atlantis Energy (SAE) intend to develop the MeyGen site up to its current grid capacity of 252MW. In 2022 and 2023 SAE was awarded Contracts for Difference to supply 28 MW and 22 MW of electricity, which will fund the next stage of the project's development.

Scottish tidal developers Nova Innovation and Orbital Marine Power were each awarded €20m of Horizon Europe funding in 2023 towards developing tidal arrays in Scotland. Nova plan to install 16 turbines totalling 4 MW in Orkney, while Orbital plan four O2 turbines with a total capacity of 9.6 MW.

Bioenergy

Biofuel

Various small-scale biofuel experiments have been undertaken. For example, in 2021 British Airways flew a 35% aviation biofuel demonstration flight from London to Glasgow. Some say that sustainable aviation fuel (not necessarily biofuel) for the UK should be produced in Scotland due to the high share of renewable energy. Due to the relatively short growing season for sugar producing crops, ethanol is not commercially produced as a fuel.

Biogas, anaerobic digestion and landfill gas

Biogas, or landfill gas, is a biofuel produced through the intermediary stage of anaerobic digestion consisting mainly of 45–90% biologically produced methane and carbon dioxide. In 2007 a thermophilic anaerobic digestion facility was commissioned in Stornoway in the Western Isles. The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) has established a digestate standard to facilitate the use of solid outputs from digesters on land.

It has been recognised that biogas (mainly methane)produced from the anaerobic digestion of organic matteris potentially a valuable and prolific feedstock. , it is estimated that 0.4GW of generating capacity might be available from agricultural waste.

Solid biomass

A 2007 report concluded that wood fuel exceeded hydro-electric and wind as the largest potential source of renewable energy. Scotland's forests, which made up 60% of the UK resource base, were forecast to be able to provide up to 1million tonnes of wood fuel per annum. The biomass energy supply was forecast to reach 450MW or higher, (predominantly from wood), with power stations requiring 4,500–5,000 oven-dry tonnes per annum per megawatt of generating capacity. A plan to build in Edinburgh a 200MW biomass plant which would have imported 83% of its wood, was withdrawn by Forth Energy in 2012 but the energy company E.ON has constructed a 44MW biomass power station at Lockerbie using locally sourced crops. A 2007 article by Renew Scotland claimed that automatic wood pellet boilers could be as convenient to use as conventional central heating systems. These boilers might be cheaper to run and, by using locally produced wood fuel, could try to be as carbon neutral as possible by using little energy for transportation.

There is also local potential for energy crops such as short-rotation willow or poplar coppice, miscanthus energy grass, agricultural wastes such as straw and manure, and forestry residues. These crops could provide 0.8GW of generating capacity.

Incineration

There is a successful waste-to-energy incineration plant at Lerwick in Shetland which burns 22,000 tonnes (24,250tons) of waste every year and provides district heating to more than 600 customers. Although such plants generate carbon emissions through the combustion of the biological material and plastic wastes (which derive from fossil fuels), they also reduce the damage done to the atmosphere from the creation of methane in landfill sites. This is a much more damaging greenhouse gas than the carbon dioxide the burning process produces, although other systems which do not involve district heating may have a similar carbon footprint to straightforward landfill degradation.

Solar energy

Solar radiation has strong seasonality in Scotland as a result of its latitude. In 2015, solar PV contributed 0.2% to Scotland's final energy consumption. In a 100% renewable scenario for 2050, it is estimated that solar PV would provide 7% of electricity. The UK's practicable resource is estimated at 7.2TWh per year.

Despite Scotland's relatively low level of sunshine hours, solar thermal panels can work effectively as they are capable of producing hot water even in cloudy weather. The technology was developed in the 1970s and is well-established with various installers in place; for example, AES Solar based in Forres provided the panels for the Scottish Parliament building.

In 2022 solar power capacity in Scotland had reached 420MW. Government grants became available to low income households for solar power installations from 2022.

Geothermal energy

Geothermal energy is obtained from thermal energy generated and stored in the Earth. The most common form of geothermal energy systems in Scotland provide heating through a ground source heat pump. These devices transfer energy from the thermal reservoir of the earth to the surface via shallow pipe works, utilising a heat exchanger. Ground source heat pumps generally achieve a Coefficient of performance of between 3–4, meaning for each unit of energy in, 3–4 units of useful heat energy is outputted. The carbon intensity of this energy is dependent on the carbon intensity of the electricity powering the pump.

Installation costs can vary from £7,000 to £10,000, and grants may be available from the CARES initiative operated by Local Energy Scotland. Up to 7.6TWh of energy is available on an annual basis from this source.

Mine-water geothermal systems are also being explored, utilising the consistent ambient temperature of the earth to raise the temperature of water for heating by circulating it through unused mine tubes. The water will generally require further heating in order to reach a usable temperature. An example is the Glenalmond Street project in Shettleston, which uses a combination of solar and geothermal energy to heat 16 houses. Water in a coal mine 100 m below ground level is heated by geothermal energy and maintained at a temperature of about 12 °C (54 °F) throughout the year. The warmed water is raised and passed through a heat pump, boosting the temperature to 55°C (131°F), and is then distributed to the houses providing heating to radiators.

There is also potential for geothermal energy production from decommissioned oil and gas fields.

Complementary technologies

It is clear that if carbon emissions are to be reduced, a combination of increased production from renewables and decreased consumption of energy in general and fossil fuels in particular will be required. The Energy Technology Partnership provides a bridge between academic research in the energy sector and industry and aims to translate research into economic impact. Although also low-carbon, Tornessthe only nuclear power stationis due to be closed in 2028 and no new nuclear power in Scotland built due to Scottish government opposition.

Grid management

Demand patterns are changing with the emergence of electric vehicles and the need to decarbonise heat. The Scottish Government has investigated various scenarios for energy supply in 2050 and in one called "An Electric Future", "electrical energy storage is widely integrated across the whole system" and "the EV fleet operates as a vast distributed energy store, capable of supporting local and national energy balancing" and "better insulated buildings mean that domestic energy demand has fallen significantly."

In 2007 Scottish and Southern Energy plc in conjunction with the University of Strathclyde began the implementation of a "Regional Power Zone" in the Orkney archipelago. This ground-breaking scheme (that may be the first of its kind in the world) involves "active network management" that will make better use of the existing infrastructure and allow a further 15MW of new 'non-firm generation' output from renewables onto the network. In 2013, Orkney generated 103% of its total electricity needs from renewable sources. This figure rose to 128% in 2020, and Orkney has been hailed as an example to follow in the green energy market.

In January 2009 the government announced the launch of a "Marine Spatial Plan" to map the potential of the Pentland Firth and Orkney coasts and agreed to take part in a working group examining options for an offshore grid to connect renewable energy projects in the North Sea to on-shore national grids. The potential for such a scheme has been described as including acting as a "30GW battery for Europe's clean energy". The initiative has been awarded a Scottish Awards for Quality in Planning in 2016.

In August 2013 Scottish Hydro Electric Power Distribution connected a 2MW lithium-ion battery at Kirkwall Power Station. This was the UK's first large-scale battery connected to a local electricity distribution network. There are other demand management initiatives being developed. For example, Sunamp, a company based in East Lothian, secured a £4.5million investment in 2020 to develop its heat storage, which store energy that can then be used to heat water. A 50MW/100MWh battery is being built at Wishaw near Glasgow, and a 50 MW battery started in 2023.

Much greater linkage to sell more electricity to England has been proposed, but this may not be viable if nodal electricity pricing is implemented in Britain. Norway has so far refused a Scotland-Norway interconnector.

Carbon sequestration

Also known as carbon capture and storage, this technology involves the storage of carbon dioxide (CO2) that is a by-product of industrial processes through its injection into oil fields. It is not a form of renewable energy production, but it may be a way to significantly reduce the effect of fossil fuels whilst renewables are commercialised. The technology has been successfully pioneered in Norway. No commercial-scale projects exist in Scotland as yet although in 2020 the UK government allocated 800million pounds to attempt to create carbon sequestration clusters by 2030 aimed at capturing carbon dioxide emissions from heavy industry.

Hydrogen

Although hydrogen offers significant potential as an alternative to hydrocarbons as a carrier of energy, neither hydrogen itself nor the associated fuel cell technologies are sources of energy in themselves. Nevertheless, the combination of renewable technologies and hydrogen is of considerable interest to those seeking alternatives to fossil fuels. There are a number of Scottish projects involved in this research, supported by the Scottish Hydrogen & Fuel Cell Association (SHFCA).

The PURE project on Unst in Shetland is a training and research centre that uses a combination of the ample supplies of wind power and fuel cells to create a wind hydrogen system. Two 15kW turbines are attached to a 'Hypod' fuel cell, which in turn provides power for heating systems, the creation of stored liquid hydrogen and an innovative fuel-cell driven car. The project is community-owned and part of the Unst Partnership, the community's development trust.

In July 2008 the SHFCA announced plans for a "hydrogen corridor" from Aberdeen to Peterhead. The proposal involves running hydrogen-powered buses along the A 90 and is supported by Aberdeenshire Council and the Royal Mail. The economics and practical application of hydrogen vehicles are being investigated by the University of Glasgow, among others. In 2015 the city of Aberdeen became the site of the UK's first hydrogen production and bus refuelling station and the council and announced the purchase of a further 10 hydrogen buses in 2020. The "Hydrogen Office" in Methil aims to demonstrate the benefits of improved energy efficiency and renewable and hydrogen energy systems.

A status report on hydrogen production in Shetland, published in September 2020, stated that Shetland Islands Council (SIC) had "joined a number of organisations and projects to drive forward plans to establish hydrogen as a future energy source for the isles and beyond". For example, it was a member of the Scottish Hydrogen Fuel Cell Association (SHFCA). The Orion project, to create an energy hub planned to use clean electricity in the development of "new technologies such as blue and green hydrogen generation".

Hydrogen production through electrolysis was well underway in early 2021 in Orkney where clean energy sources (wind, waves, tides) were producing excess electricity that could be used to create hydrogen which could be stored until needed. In November 2019, a spokesperson for the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) made this comment: "We're now looking towards the development of a hydrogen economy in Orkney". In late 2020, a plan was made to test the world's first hydrogen-fueled ferry here. One report suggested that, "if all goes well, hydrogen ferries could be sailing between Orkney's islands within six months". By that time, a plan was underway at Kirkwall Airport to add a hydrogen combustion engine system to the heating system in order to reduce the significant emissions that were created with older technology that heated buildings and water. This was part of the plan formulated by the Scottish government for the Highlands and Islands "to become the world's first net zero aviation region by 2040".

In December 2020 the Scottish government released a hydrogen policy statement with plans for incorporating blue and green hydrogen for use in heating, transportation and industry. The Scottish government also planned an investment of £100million in the hydrogen sector "for the £180million Emerging Energy Technologies Fund". Shetland Islands Council planned to obtain further specifics about the availability of funding. The government had already agreed that the production of "green" hydrogen from wind power near Sullom Voe Terminal was a valid plan. A December 2020 update stated that "the extensive terminal could also be used for direct refuelling of hydrogen-powered ships" and suggested that the fourth jetty at Sullom Voe "could be suitable for ammonia export".

Local vs national concerns

A significant feature of Scotland's renewable potential is that the resources are largely distant from the main centres of population. This is by no means coincidental. The power of wind, wave and tide on the north and west coasts and for hydro in the mountains makes for dramatic scenery, but sometimes harsh living conditions.

This happenstance of geography and climate has created various tensions. There is clearly a significant difference between a renewable energy production facility of modest size providing an island community with all its energy needs, and an industrial-scale power station in the same location that is designed to export power to far distant urban locations. Thus, plans for one of the world's largest onshore windfarms on the Hebridean Isle of Lewis have generated considerable debate. A related issue is the high-voltage Beauly–Denny power line which brings electricity from renewable projects in the north and west to the cities of the south. In January 2010 Jim Mather, the Energy Minister, announced that the project would be going ahead, notwithstanding the more than 18,000 objections received. 53km of the 132kV line inside the park was taken down and not replaced. The Beauly–Denny line was energized by Christmas 2015.

There is considerable support for community-scale energy projects. For example, Alex Salmond, the then First Minister of Scotland, has stated that "we can think big by delivering small" and aspired to have a "million Scottish households with access to their own or community renewable generation within ten years". although even community-owned schemes can prove controversial.

A related issue is the position of Scotland within the United Kingdom, a debate which highlights the contrast between the sparsely populated north of Scotland and the highly urbanised south and east of England. Although the ecological footprints of Scotland and England are similar the relationship between this footprint and the biocapacities of the respective countries are not. Scotland's biocapacity (a measure of the biologically productive area) is 4.52global hectares (gha) per head, some 15% less than the current ecological effect. In other words, with a 15% reduction in consumption, the Scottish population could live within the productive capacity of the land to support them. However, the UK ecological footprint is more than three times the biocapacity, which is only 1.6gha, amongst the lowest in Europe. Thus, to achieve the same end in the UK context, consumption would have to be reduced by about 66%.

The developed world's economy is very dependent on 'point-source' fossil fuels. Scotland, as a relatively sparsely populated country with significant renewable resources, is in a unique position to demonstrate how the transition to a low-carbon, widely distributed energy economy may be undertaken. A balance will need to be struck between supporting this transition and providing exports to the economies of densely populated regions in the Central Belt and elsewhere, as they seek their own solutions. The tension between local and national needs in the Scottish context may therefore also play out on the wider UK and European stage.

Promotion of renewables

Growing national concerns regarding peak oil and climate change have driven the subject of renewable energy high up the political agenda. Various public bodies and public-private partnerships have been created to develop the potential. The Forum for Renewable Energy Development in Scotland, (FREDS) is a partnership between industry, academia and government aimed at enabling Scotland to capitalise on its renewable energy resource. The Scottish Renewables Forum is an important intermediary organisation for the industry, hosting the annual Green Energy Awards. Community Energy Scotland provides advice, funding and finance for renewable energy projects developed by community groups. Aberdeen Renewable Energy Group (AREG) is a public-private partnership created to identify and promote renewable energy opportunities for businesses in the northeast. In 2009 AREG formed an alliance with North Scotland Industries Group to help promote the North of Scotland as an "international renewable energy hub".

The Forestry Commission is active in promoting biomass potential. The Climate Change Business Delivery Group aims to act as a way for businesses to share best practices and address the climate change challenge. Numerous universities are playing a role in supporting energy research under the Supergen programme, including fuel cell research at St Andrews, marine technologies at Edinburgh, distributed power systems at Strathclyde

In 2010 the Scotcampus student Freshers' Festivals held in Edinburgh and Glasgow were powered entirely by renewable energy in a bid to raise awareness among young people.

In July 2009 Friends of the Earth, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, World Development Movement and World Wildlife Fund published a study called "The Power of Scotland Renewed." This study argued that the country could meet all its electricity needs by 2030 without the requirement for either nuclear or fossil fuel powered installations. In 2013, a YouGov energy survey concluded that:

The Scottish Government's energy plans have called for 100% of electricity consumption to be generated through renewable sources and that by 2030 half of total energy consumption (including heat and transportation) will be met from renewables.

Political landscape

Energy policy in Scotland is a "reserved" issue, i.e. responsibility for it lies with the UK government. Former First Minister of Scotland and SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon has accused them of having a "complete lack of vision and ambition over the energy technologies of the future" and compared this with her view that the Scottish Government is "already a world leader" in tackling the issue. During the referendum on Scottish independence in 2014 Scotland's energy resources were a significant theme, and would likely be so again if there was another independence referendum. The Scottish Green Party are strongly supportive of "low carbon energy for all".

Scottish Labour (which is a section of the UK Labour Party) also supports what they call a "Green Industrial Revolution". The Scottish Conservatives' (who are a branch of the UK Conservative Party) party policy is to aim to "ensure 50 per cent of Scotland's energy comes from renewables by 2030". They are also supportive of additional nuclear energy production, which the SNP government oppose. The Scottish Liberal Democrats have a "commitment to 100% of Scottish electricity to be from renewable sources."

The 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) was held in Glasgow from 1 to 12 November 2021 under the presidency of the United Kingdom.

References

1. "Whitelee Windfarm".
2. See, for example, Scottish Executive (2005) ''Choosing Our Future: Scotland's Sustainable Development Strategy.'' Edinburgh.
3. (25 March 2021). "Renewables met 97% of Scotland's electricity demand in 2020". British Broadcasting Corporation.
4. (26 March 2020). "BEIS Energy Trends – Renewables". UK Government.
5. "Proportion of electricity generation by fuel". Scottish Government: Scottish Energy Statistics Hub.
6. "Share of renewable electricity in gross final consumption". Scottish Government: Scottish Energy Statistics Hub.
7. "Record renewable energy output". Scottish Government.
8. Wray, Ben. (5 June 2022). "April Fuel's Day: Explaining Scotland's energy price rises".
9. "Energy statistics".
10. link. (8 May 2007 . (PDF). Retrieved 31 August 2007.)
11. "Scottish communities reap £20m in benefits from renewable energy projects". Local Energy Scotland.
12. (December 2024). "Energy Statistics for Scotland - Q3 2024 - Key Points".
13. (2006). "Delivering the New Generation of Energy: Route Map to Scotland's Renewable Future". Scottish Renewables Forum.
14. "Energy Statistics for Scotland - Q3 2024 - Total Final Energy Consumption".
15. Royal Society for the Protection of Birds Scotland, [[World Wide Fund for Nature]] Scotland and [[Friends of the Earth]] Scotland (February 2006) [http://assets.wwf.org.uk/downloads/electricity_supply_web.pdf Briefing Paper 2006: The Power of Scotland: Cutting Carbon with Scotland's Renewable Energy]. RSPB et al. Retrieved on 30 December 2020.
16. Robinson, Saskia. (2024-04-24). "Orkney and Western Isles lead in renewables uptake in Scotland".
17. "Statistics". Scottish Renewables.
18. (October 2008). "Forum on Renewable Energy Development in Scotland". Renewable Policy Team.
19. "A Biomass Action Plan for Scotland". Scottish Executive.
20. (12 October 2021). "Solar Energy Scotland calls for 4GW by 2030 target to 'realise solar's full potential'".
21. "Marine Energy". hi-energy.org.uk.
22. (2013-11-11). "Non-Technical Summary: Potential Geothermal Resources in Scotland".
23. Forum for Renewable Energy Development in Scotland. (June 2005). "Future Generation Group Report – Scotland's Renewable Energy Potential: Realising the 2020 Target". The Scottish Executive.
24. (27 November 2007). "Renewable energy potential". Scottish Government.
25. (2011). "Renewables 2011: Global Status Report".
26. MacDonnel, Hamish (30 January 2008) "Scotland aims to lead world in global warming battle". Edinburgh. ''The Scotsman''.
27. (17 June 2009). "Clean, green energy". Scottish Government.
28. Carrell, Severin. (24 January 2017). "Scotland eyes 50% renewable energy by 2030 in shift away from North Sea oil". The Guardian.
29. "Ending Scotland's Contribution to Climate Change". [[Scottish Government]].
30. AEA Technology. (January 2006). "Scottish Energy Study – Summary Report for the Scottish Executive". Scottish Executive.
31. (March 2006). "Position Paper: The Role of Nuclear Power in a Low-Carbon Economy". Sustainable Development Commission.
32. Scottish Renewables (January 2006) ''Market and Planning Report''. Issue No 4.
33. "Data – Sector Consumption (GWh)". Scottish Government: Scottish Energy Statistics Hub.
34. ''A Scottish Energy Review''. (November 2005) Scottish National Party Framework Paper. Edinburgh.
35. [https://www.gov.scot/publications/vision-scotlands-electricity-gas-networks-2030/pages/6/ "Scotland's electricity and gas networks: vision to 2030"]. (12 March 2019) Scottish Government. Retrieved 14 February 2021.
36. (December 2015). "Energy Statistics for Scotland". Scottish Government.
37. [https://www.scottishrenewables.com/sectors/renewables-in-numbers/ "Renewables in Numbers – Scottish Renewables"]. Scottish Renewables. {{Webarchive. link. (16 December 2019 Retrieved 31 January 2021.)
38. [https://www.gov.scot/binaries/content/documents/govscot/publications/statistics/2018/10/quarterly-energy-statistics-bulletins/documents/energy-statistics-summary-june-2020/energy-statistics-summary-june-2020/govscot%3Adocument/Scotland%2BEnergy%2BStats%2BQ1%2B2020.pdf."Energy Statistics for Scotland: Q1 2020 figures".] (pdf) Retrieved 28 December 2020.
39. "Proportion of electricity generation by fuel". Scottish Energy Statistics Hub.
40. (14 January 2014). "Employment in renewables sees 5% growth in one year". Scottish Renewables.
41. "Statistics". scottishrenewables.com.
42. (30 March 2012). "Renewables sector supports 11,000 Scottish jobs, finds report". Energy Efficiency News.
43. (2006). "Heat: How to Stop the Planet Burning". Allen Lane.
44. Valenti, Martin (2020) [https://www.scottish-enterprise.com/learning-zone/business-guides/components-folder/business-guides-listing/scotlands-leading-role-in-the-journey-to-a-sustainable-low-carbon-future "Scotland's leading role in the journey to a sustainable, low-carbon future"]. [[Scottish Enterprise]]. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
45. 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''.
46. (2014). "Leaflet: Fifth Assessment Report". IPCC.
47. (7 October 2018). "Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5°C". Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
48. "Renewable Energy Statistics Database for the United Kingdom". Restats.
49. [https://pdf4pro.com/download/power-from-the-glens-neart-nan-gleann-sse-plc-436ebc.html ''Power from the Glens/Neart nan Gleann'']. [[Scottish and Southern Energy plc]]. Retrieved 24 January 2021.
50. [https://pdf4pro.com/download/power-from-the-glens-neart-nan-gleann-sse-plc-436ebc.html ''Power from the Glens/Neart nan Gleann'']. [[Scottish and Southern Energy plc]]. Retrieved 24 January 2021. p. 1.
51. [https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/renewable-sources-of-energy-chapter-6-digest-of-united-kingdom-energy-statistics-dukes''Digest of UK Energy Statistics'']
52. [https://pdf4pro.com/download/power-from-the-glens-neart-nan-gleann-sse-plc-436ebc.html ''Power from the Glens/Neart nan Gleann'']. [[Scottish and Southern Energy plc]]. Retrieved 24 January 2021. pp. 20–21
53. [https://pdf4pro.com/download/power-from-the-glens-neart-nan-gleann-sse-plc-436ebc.html ''Power from the Glens/Neart nan Gleann'']. [[Scottish and Southern Energy plc]]. Retrieved 24 January 2021. pp. 18–19
54. These were built in several "schemes" of linked stations, each covering a [[Drainage basin. catchment area]], whereby the same water may generate power several times as it descends. Numerous remote [[strath]]s were flooded by these schemes, many of the largest of which involved tunnelling through mountains as well as damming rivers.[https://pdf4pro.com/download/power-from-the-glens-neart-nan-gleann-sse-plc-436ebc.html ''Power from the Glens/Neart nan Gleann'']. [[Scottish and Southern Energy plc]]. Retrieved 24 January 2021. pp. 3, 12.
55. (18 June 2002). "Tunnel tigers". National World Publishing.
56. (2004). "The Hydro Boys: Pioneers of Renewable Energy". Luath Press.
57. (January 2010). "The Employment Potential of Scotland's Hydro Resource". Scottish Government.
58. "Knoydart Renewables – The Power of Knoydart". The Knoydart Foundation.
59. (11 October 2020). "Hydro". Kingussie Community Development Company.
60. (29 August 2012). "Glendoe hydro electric scheme resumes operations". British Broadcasting Corporation.
61. "Glendoe Hydro Scheme". Scottish and Southern Energy.
62. (23 April 2010). "Four hydro schemes approved". Planning Resource.
63. [https://www.lochlomond-trossachs.org/planning/blog/rainy-days-great-run-river-hydro-schemes-national-park/ "Run-of-river hydro schemes in the National Park"]. Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
64. "Power Stations in the United Kingdom (operational at the end of May 2004)". Department of Trade and Industry, HM Government.
65. (21 March 2023). "£100m boost for biggest UK hydro scheme in decades". British Broadcasting Corporation.
66. (March 2011). "Analysis of UK Wind Power Generation, November 2008 to December 2010". Stuart Young Consulting.
67. (18 July 2019). "Scotland is now generating so much wind energy, it could power two Scotlands". Business Insider.
68. (11 August 2016). "Scotland just produced enough wind energy to power it for an entire day". The Independent.
69. (11 August 2016). "Scotland's wind turbines cover all its electricity needs for a day". The Guardian.
70. Weaver, John Fitzgerald. (14 August 2016). "Scotland blows away the competition{{snd}}106% of electricity needs from wind{{snd}}joins select club".
71. (10 December 2018). "Scottish wind power output breaks 100% output milestone". The National.
72. (13 November 2023). "Ministers downgrade Scottish offshore energy projection". BBC News.
73. "Black Law Wind Farm". ScottishPower Renewables.
74. (January 2006). "UK's most powerful wind farm could power Paisley". British Wind Energy Association.
75. "Whitelee Wind Farm". ScottishPower Renewables.
76. "Let's Talk Renewables". HIE.
77. (26 January 2005). "Green Energy press release". greenenergy.uk.com.
78. [http://isleofeigg.org/eigg-electric/ "Eigg Electric"]. isleofeigg.org. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
79. Nelson, Cordelia. (20 March 2013). "Scots support renewable energy". YouGov.
80. (18 October 2010). "Rise in Scots wind farm support". British Broadcasting Corporation.
81. Scottish Government. (2003). "Public Attitudes to Windfarms: A Survey of Local Residents in Scotland".
82. Scottish Renewables. (22 October 2010). "Scots support wind farms". Sustainable Scotland.
83. [https://www.foundationscotland.org.uk/communities/funds/ "Community Funds"]. Foundation Scotland. Retrieved 30 December 2020
84. [https://www.dumgal.gov.uk/media/18596/Dumfries-and-Galloway-Wind-Farm-Land-Capacity-Study-Appendix-C/pdf/Wind_Energy_Appendix_C_Landscape_June_2017.pdf "Local Development Plan Supplementary Guidance: Part 1 Appendix C".] Dumfries and Galloway Council. Retrieved 29 December 2020.
85. [https://www.group.rwe/en/our-portfolio/our-sites/robin-rigg-offshore-wind-farm "Robin Rigg East and West"]. RWE Global Retrieved 30 December 2020
86. (9 September 2009). "Offshore turbines start turning". British Broadcasting Corporation.
87. Keane, Kevin (2 July 2018) [https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-44681278 "Aberdeen wind farm opposed by Donald Trump generates first power"]. BBC. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
88. (8 January 2010). "New UK offshore wind farm licences are announced". British Broadcasting Corporation.
89. "Salmond discusses floating windfarm". (17 August 2010) Aberdeen: ''Press and Journal''.
90. (19 July 2016). "Conservationists win Scottish wind farm legal challenge". British Broadcasting Corporation.
91. (20 July 2016). "Scots offshore wind 'pretty much dead', former minister claims". British Broadcasting Corporation.
92. "Moray East – Under Construction Offshore Wind Farm – United Kingdom {{!}} 4C Offshore".
93. Fruergaard, Wadia. (6 December 2018). "Moray East Signs Firm Order with MHI Vestas Offshore Wind".
94. Saunderson, Chris (28 December 2020) [https://www.forres-gazette.co.uk/news/moray-offshore-windfarm-lifts-final-jacket-in-place-222968/ "Moray Offshore Windfarm lifts final jacket in place]. ''Forres Gazette''. Retrieved 29 December 2020
95. [https://www.equinor.com/en/what-we-do/floating-wind/hywind-scotland.html "Hywind Scotland"] {{Webarchive. link. (14 April 2021 . ''equinor''. Retrieved 29 December 2020.)
96. Campbell, Wilson. (2010-03-22). "Choosing your history: Wave energy development in the UK".
97. (1 March 2013). "City job losses as giant utility firm pulls out". The Inverness Courier.
98. [http://news.scotsman.com/scotland/Green-for-go-as-isle.4906351.jp "Green for go as isle plays host to world's largest wave farm"] (23 January 2009) Edinburgh. ''The Scotsman''. Retrieved 3 February 2009.
99. Donald, Colin. (2011-07-24). "World's biggest 'wave farm' in crisis as RWE npower pulls out".
100. Dinwoodie, Robbie (19 May 2010) "Launched: mighty sea snake that could power 500 homes". Glasgow; ''The Herald''.
101. Blum, Patrick. (2009-03-16). "A Setback for Wave Power Technology". The New York Times.
102. Burns, Niamh. (2015-02-07). "Sweden's Vattenfall to liquidate wave power venture".
103. (25 February 2015). "Over £14 million for Wave Energy Scotland".
104. [https://www.scotsman.com/business/find-out-about-projects-driving-scotlands-wave-energy-ambitions-2982100 "Find out about the projects driving Scotland's wave energy ambitions".] ''The Scotsman''. Edinburgh. Retrieved 28 December 2020.
105. (8 January 2019). "Two Scots Firms Secure £7.7m Funding".
106. (2024-04-23). "Mocean Energy's Blue X Wave Device and Verlume's Halo Battery Come Ashore".
107. DiCerto, Joseph J.. (1976). "The Electric Wishing Well: The Solution to the Energy Crisis". Macmillan.
108. (11 February 2009). "'Saudi Arabia of Tidal Power' Woos Dozens of Energy Firms". The Scotsman".
109. "Marine Briefing" (December 2006) Scottish Renewables Forum. Glasgow.
110. Carrington, Damian. (10 July 2013). "Tidal power from Pentland firth 'could provide half of Scotland's electricity'". The Guardian.
111. Dutta, Kunal (17 March 2010) "Marine energy projects approved for Scotland." ''The Independent''. London.
112. "Orkney Renewable Energy Forum: Marine Energy". Orkney Renewable Energy Forum.
113. Urquhart, Frank (4 September 2011) "Island to switch on power of currents". Edinburgh. ''Scotland on Sunday''.
114. [http://www.novainnovation.co.uk/index.php/north-yell "North Yell"] {{webarchive. link. (18 November 2014 . Nova Innovation. Retrieved 12 January 2015.)
115. Carrell, Severin. (29 August 2016). "World first for Shetlands in tidal power breakthrough". The Guardian.
116. (31 January 2023). "Shetland Tidal Array becomes world leader".
117. (2023-02-28). "Nova looking to decommission older tidal turbines".
118. (4 February 2010). "Solway barrage prospects assessed". British Broadcasting Corporation.
119. Whittle, Julian (8 March 2013) [http://www.newsandstar.co.uk/news/green-energy-scheme-to-span-solway-firth-1.1041078 " 'Green energy' scheme to span Solway Firth?"] {{webarchive. link. (2 May 2014 . ''News and Star''. Carlisle. Retrieved 6 September 2013.)
120. [http://www.nce.co.uk/news/energy/major-scottish-tidal-project-unveiled/8607525.article Major Scottish tidal project unveiled] ''New Civil Engineer'', 28 October 2010. Retrieved 4 November 2010. {{Webarchive. link. (2012-03-13)
121. (16 September 2013). "Pentland Firth tidal turbine project given consent". British Broadcasting Corporation.
122. White, Matthew. (2008-04-12). "Meygen Starts 25 year operations phase". 4c Offshore.
123. "Green light for world's largest planned tidal energy project in Scotland". The Guardian.
124. [https://simecatlantis.com/projects/meygen/ "Meygen tidal stream projects"] {{Webarchive. link. (27 December 2020 . (16 September 2013). ''simecatlantis.com''. Retrieved 28 December 2020.)
125. "Simec Atlantis makes significant advancement in MeyGen project".
126. UK Marine Energy Council. (2023-12-14). "Clean sweep for UK projects in Horizon tidal call {{!}} UK Marine Energy Council (UKMEC)".
127. (15 September 2021). "British Airways completes its first flight with sustainable aviation fuel".
128. "UK sustainable aviation fuels mandate consultation{{snd".
129. Martin, P.J., French, J., Wishart, J. and Cromarty, A. (2005) "Report to Westray Development Trust on Biofuel Crops Research at Orkney College During 2004/5". Agronomy Institute, Orkney College. This study indicated that in Scottish growing conditions oilseed rape provided significantly better relative yields of biodiesel than were available via ethanol from sugar beet.
130. [https://www.biofertiliser.org.uk/certification/scotland "Biofertiliser Certification Scheme: End of Waste Scotland"]. Renewable Energy Assurance. Retrieved 9 January 2021.
131. (January 2005). "Promoting and Accelerating the Market Penetration of Biomass Technology in Scotland". Scottish Executive Forum for Renewable Energy Development in Scotland.
132. "Energy from our trees and forests". renewscotland.
133. However a 2011 [[Forestry Commission]] and Scottish government follow-up report concluded that: "...there is no capacity to support further large scale electricity generation biomass plants from the domestic wood fibre resource."(March 2011) [http://www.forestry.gov.uk/pdf/WoodfuelTaskForceUpdateReport_2011.pdf/$FILE/WoodfuelTaskForceUpdateReport_2011.pdf The Supply of Wood for Renewable Energy Production in Scotland] {{webarchive. link. (30 April 2013 Wood Fuel Task Force 2. An Update Report by the Wood Fuel Task Force to Scottish Ministers. Retrieved 17 February 2013.)
134. Wingate, Alexandra (18 November 2011) [http://www.theedinburghreporter.co.uk/2011/11/leith-biomass-plant-turn-attention-to-government-subsidies/ Leith Biomass Plant turn attention to government subsidies]. ''The Edinburgh Reporter.'' Retrieved 17 February 2013.
135. (9 February 2012). "Leith ruled out for Forth Energy biomass plant". BBC.
136. Royal Society of Edinburgh (June 2006) ''Inquiry into Energy Issues for Scotland. Final Report''. Edinburgh. RSE.
137. (17 January 2006). "Biomass fuels Related to forestry and agriculture". Macauley Institute.
138. "Shetland Heat Energy & Power Ltd.". Shetland Heat Energy & Power Ltd..
139. [http://appli1.oecd.org/olis/2005doc.nsf/43bb6130e5e86e5fc12569fa005d004c/4ca9068216022afdc12571230060b7b4/$FILE/JT03204660.PDF "EPR Policies and Product Design: Economic Theory and Selected Case Studies"]{{snd ENV/EPOC/WGWPR(2005)9/FINAL (PDF) (2005) Working Group on Waste Prevention and Recycling. OECD. Retrieved 31 August 2007. {{webarchive. link. (3 February 2007)
140. "Insolation Levels (Europe)". Apricus Solar.
141. (2019). "Scenarios for sustainable energy in Scotland". Wind Energy.
142. (2001). "Sunshine Duration Annual Average". Met Office.
143. "Solar panels". Energy Saving Trust.
144. [https://aessolar.co.uk/about-us/faqs/#1560518078339-e2089b47-1f32 "FAQ: What about the weather?"]. AES Solar. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
145. "Scottish Renewables Economics Impact Report 07". Scottish Renewables Forum Limited.
146. (21 October 2022). "THE GROWING DEMAND FOR SOLAR PV IN SCOTLAND".
147. "Free Solar Panel Grants Scotland".
148. (September 2011). "Thermodynamic analysis of a hybrid geothermal heat pump system". Geothermics.
149. [https://www.gov.scot/policies/renewable-and-low-carbon-energy/local-and-small-scale-renewables/ "Renewable and low carbon energy"]. Scottish Government. Retrieved 29 December 2020.
150. McLoughlin, Nicola (12 July 2006) [http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/research/briefings-06/SB06-54.pdf "Geothermal Heat in Scotland"] {{webarchive. link. (19 December 2008 . (PDF). Edinburgh. Scottish Executive. SPICe briefing 06/54. Retrieved 31 August 2007.)
151. "Geothermal Energy". John Gilbert Architects.
152. [http://www.healergeorge.com/pr_article.htm "Design Study may Lead to Two North Sea Interconnector Hubs to Service Geothermal Power"]. (21 November 2012). Healer George. Retrieved 8 April 2014.
153. See for example: "Wind Power: Your questions answered" (2006) Sustainable Development Commission. London.
154. [https://www.etp-scotland.ac.uk/ "ETP Home page".] Energy Technology Partnership. Retrieved 28 December 2020.
155. (7 April 2022). "Energy strategy: No plans for new nuclear sites in Scotland". British Broadcasting Corporation.
156. [https://www.gov.scot/policies/energy-infrastructure/electricity-grid/ "Energy Infrastructure"]. Scottish Government. Retrieved 10 January 2021.
157. [https://www.gov.scot/publications/scottish-energy-strategy-future-energy-scotland-9781788515276/pages/4/ "Chapter 2. Scotland's Changing Energy System"]. ''The future of energy in Scotland: Scottish energy strategy.'' Scottish Government. Retrieved 10 January 2021.
158. [http://www.scottish-southern.co.uk/SSEInternet/uploadedFiles/About_Us/Our_Businesses/Energy_Systems/Regulated_Accounts/SSERPZReport%200607.pdf ''Registered Power Zone Annual Report for period 1 April 2006 to 31 March 2007''] (pdf) Scottish Hydro Electric Power Distribution and Southern Electric Power Distribution. Retrieved 18 October 2007. {{webarchive. link. (10 October 2007)
159. [http://www.ensg.gov.uk/assets/kel003110000.pdf ''Facilitate Generation Connections on Orkey by Automatic Distribution Network Management ''] {{webarchive. link. (27 March 2009 DTI. Retrieved 18 October 2007.)
160. "Orkney's Energy – Orkney Renewable Energy Forum (OREF)".
161. Thomson, Alex. (2024-08-22). "Why Orkney is once again at the cutting edge of the green revolution".
162. [http://www.esd-ca.org/Resources/Energy-saving-news/Renewable-energy2/Scotland-marine-energy-potential-to-be-mapped/(energysavingtrust)/699333 "Scotland marine energy potential to be mapped"] {{webarchive. link. (15 March 2012 Energysaving trust. Retrieved 16 December 2011.)
163. Jha, Alok (3 January 2010) "Sun, wind and wave-powered: Europe unites to build renewables 'supergrid'." London. ''The Guardian.''
164. "Pentland Firth and Orkney Waters Marine Spatial Plan".
165. [http://www.orcadian.co.uk/2013/08/shepd-energises-uks-first-grid-battery-in-orkney/ "SHEPD energises UK's first grid battery in Orkney"] {{webarchive. link. (18 August 2013 . (14 August 2013) ''The Orcadian''. Retrieved 16 September 2013.)
166. Williamson, Mark (11 August 2020) [https://www.heraldscotland.com/business_hq/18641864.scottish-heat-battery-pioneer-wins-backing-international-investors/ "Scottish heat battery pioneer wins backing from international investors"]. Glasgow. ''The Herald''. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
167. (28 April 2022). "Zenobē begins construction of 50MW/100MWh transmission connected battery in Scotland".
168. "SUSI, Eelpower power up 50-MW battery in Scotland".
169. Edwardes-Evans, Henry. (11 July 2022). "UK regulator Ofgem confirms need for huge Eastern HVDC link".
170. [http://www.technologyreview.com/Energy/17411/ "Sequestration science is far ahead of needed policy".] (8 September 2006) MIT Technology Review. Retrieved 24 June 2007. {{Webarchive. link. (2007-09-27 The report notes that the Sleipner natural gas field has been successfully sequestering carbon dioxide underground for 10 years.)
171. Ross, Kelvin. (18 November 2020). "Carbon capture sector welcomes UK's green industrial strategy".
172. [[Joe Romm. Romm, Joseph]] (2004) ''[[The Hype About Hydrogen]]''. London. Island Press. pp. 1–4
173. "Scottish Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Activities Map". Scottish Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Association Ltd.
174. "PURE project". Pure Energy Centre.
175. [http://www.shfca.org.uk/scottish_hydrogen_fuel_cell_association/news_and_information/3,1,6942,1,27391.html "Hydrogen corridor for north-east? The Scottish Hydrogen Fuel Cell Association is hatching a bold proposal"] (7 July 2008) SHFCA. Retrieved 9 November 2008. {{webarchive. link. (20 January 2009)
176. [https://eurobic11.com/hydrogen-in-transport/ "University investigates viability of hydrogen in transport"]. Retrieved 6 January 2020.
177. [https://news.aberdeencity.gov.uk/the-worlds-first-hydrogen-powered-double-decker-bus-arrives-in-aberdeen/ "The world's first hydrogen-powered double-decker bus arrives in Aberdeen."] (19 October 2020) Aberdeen City Council. Retrieved 28 December 2020.
178. [https://news.aberdeencity.gov.uk/aberdeen-to-see-further-expansion-of-hydrogen-buses-project/ "Aberdeen to see further expansion of hydrogen buses project."] (27 August 2020) Aberdeen City Council. Retrieved 28 December 2020.
179. [http://www.hydrogenoffice.com/index.asp "Home"] {{Webarchive. link. (1 March 2021 The Hydrogen Office. Retrieved 6 December 2009.)
180. (2 September 2020). "Council, SIC moves ahead in developing hydrogen as an alternative fuel". Shetland News.
181. (27 March 2019). "How hydrogen is transforming these tiny Scottish islands". British Broadcasting Corporation.
182. (25 November 2019). "Is Orkney the hydrogen capital of the world?". Energy Ireland.
183. (20 December 2020). "Hydrogen". Orkney.
184. (14 October 2020). "EGEB: Scotland trials world's first hydrogen ferry". Electrek.
185. (20 December 2020). "Green hydrogen set to decarbonise airport". Hydrogen East.
186. Stones, Jake (22 December 2020) [https://www.theccc.org.uk/publication/reducing-emissions-in-scotland-2020-progress-report-to-parliament/ "Scotland outlines hydrogen policy to 2045"]. ICIS. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
187. (20 December 2020). "Scotland Invests in Offshore Wind and Tidal Energy for Green Hydrogen". Maritime Executive.
188. (23 December 2020). "Energy hub team keeping close eye on £100m government hydrogen pledge". Shetland News.
189. For example [[W. H. Murray]] described the [[Hebrides]] as "the Isles on the Edge of the Sea where men are welcome{{sndif they are hard in body and in spirit tenacious." Murray, W.H. (1966) ''The Hebrides''; London; Heinemann; page 232. Murray was born in 1913 and his use of the masculine may seem inappropriate now, although the harsh climate and lack of employment opportunities are very much an issue in the 21st century. See for example Ross, David (8 February 2007) "Western Isles set to pay its women to stay". ''The Herald'' which notes the local council's concerns about the long term decline in the population of women of childbearing age.
190. (25 July 2006). "Wind power dilemma for Lewis". British Broadcasting Corporation.
191. link. (31 October 2007 . Edinburgh. ''The Scotsman''. Retrieved 31 August 2007.)
192. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/highlands_and_islands/7853756.stm "Power line upgrade given go-ahead"]. BBC Retrieved 9 January 1010.
193. "Beauly – Denny". Scottish & Southern Electricity Networks.
194. (22 December 2015). "Beauly-Denny delivers power super-highway between the Highlands and the Central Belt". Scottish & Southern Electricity Networks.
195. See for example, Energy4All Ltd. (2006) ''Empowering Communities: A Step By Step Guide to Financing A Community Renewable Energy Project''. Inverness. HICEC
196. "Renewable Energy Policy". John Muir Trust.
197. For example, a small-scale scheme proposed by North Harris [[development trust]] has been supported by the [[John Muir Trust]], but opposed by Scottish Natural Heritage. The objection "caused outrage" and was withdrawn in September 2007. See Ross, David, (4 September 2007) "Heritage body in U-turn over island wind farm". Glasgow. ''The Herald''. The project finally received planning consent for three 86{{spacesmetre (282{{spacesft) wind turbines in early 2008. See "North Harris community wind farm approved" (February 2008) ''John Muir Trust Journal'' No. 44. Page 5.
198. Perry, David (22 November 2006) "Backing for North Sea Super-Grid plans". Aberdeen. ''Press and Journal''.
199. Dinning, R. J. (2006) [http://www.energyinst.org.uk/content/files/scottishreview.doc "A response to the Scottish National Party Energy Review".] {{webarchive. link. (29 September 2007 (Microsoft Word document) London. Energy Institute. Retrieved 31 August 2007. This report notes "we are aware this topic has been contentious amongst Scottish generators and apparently perverse in that it acts against renewable energy in the remote areas where it is most abundant (the same is true for shore access to areas in which CO₂ might be stored). However we have to observe the engineering logic surrounding the current regime{{sndthat generation be encouraged to deploy in areas, which avoid the wasted energy incurred in transmission losses". Nonetheless, Scottish Power has expressed concern that the current regime penalises the adoption of renewables.)
200. Akildade, Anthony (11 February 2007) "Osborne steps into row over green targets". Glasgow. ''Sunday Herald''. This article outlines fears that subsidies for renewables will be targeted at offshore wind "which is more viable in England" than in Scotland where the technology "has yet to prove itself" because of the deeper waters off the coasts.
201. Chambers, N. et al. (2004) ''Scotland's Footprint''. Oxford. Best Foot Forward.
202. "The Ecological Footprint: A resource accounting framework for measuring human demand on the biosphere". European Environment Agency.
203. Global biocapacity averages 1.8 global hectares per person (excluding biodiversity considerations). Chambers (2004). Thus the UK is more typical than Scotland, which although having a high level of consumption, is relatively thinly populated.
204. See, for example, Lowson, Mike (4 June 2007). "Halting the rush to blight Scotland's scenic landscape". Aberdeen. ''Press and Journal''.
205. "Angus To Join Moray in Green Energy Initiative". (27 January 2007) Aberdeen. ''Press and Journal''.
206. [http://www.all-energy.co.uk/News@All-Energy.html#2 "2.3. Alliance to promote RE industry in N.Scotland"] News@All-Energy – Issue 155 – Late November 2009. All-Energy. Retrieved 6 December 2009. {{webarchive. link. (23 September 2009)
207. Martin, Peter. "Short Rotation Coppice:A potential biomass crop for the Highlands and Islands of Scotland". Orkney College.
208. [http://eventsedinburgh.org.uk/Freshers-Festival-Edinburgh.html "Freshers Festivals Edinburgh"] Events Edinburgh. Retrieved 30 June 2010. {{webarchive. link. (7 October 2010)
209. Murray, Ben (2009) [http://assets.wwf.org.uk/downloads/powerofscotland_renewed.pdf The Power of Scotland Renewed: Clean green energy for the nation's future] FOE Scotland, RSPB, World Development Movement and WWF.
210. [https://www.gov.scot/publications/scottish-energy-strategy-future-energy-scotland-9781788515276/pages/2/ "The future of energy in Scotland: Scottish energy strategy: Executive summary"]. (20 December 2017) Scottish Government. Retrieved 31 January 2021.
211. [https://www.energyvoice.com/renewables-energy-transition/212009/sturgeon-tells-westminster-to-get-its-act-together-on-clean-energy/ "Sturgeon tells Westminster to 'get its act together' on clean energy"]. ''Energy Voice''. Retrieved 29 December 2020.
212. (2016). "Energy and the Scotland Act 2016". Edinburgh Law Review.
213. "Scottish Renewables: A United Kingdom Success Story".
214. [https://greens.scot/policy/energy "Energy"]. Scottish Greens. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
215. [https://scottishlabour.org.uk/where-we-stand/campaigns/climate-emergency/ "It's time for a Green Industrial Revolution"]. Scottish Labour. Retrieved 30 December 2020. {{Webarchive. link. (2020-01-27)
216. [http://www.scottishconservatives.com/2017/02/scottish-conservatives-launch-major-policy-paper-on-the-environment/ "Scottish Conservatives launch major policy paper on the environment"] {{Webarchive. link. (17 April 2021 . (2017) Scottish Conservatives. Retrieved 30 December 2020.)
217. [https://www.gov.scot/policies/nuclear-energy/ "Nuclear Energy"]. Scottish Government. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
218. [https://www.scotlibdems.org.uk/environment "Protecting Our Environment"] {{Webarchive. link. (17 April 2021 . Scottish Liberal Democrats. Retrieved 30 December 2020.)
219. (28 May 2020). "New dates agreed for COP26 United Nations Climate Change Conference".