Scottish plan aims for 20% renewables by 2020

The Scottish Government today published an action plan aimed at driving the development of renewable energy and capitalising on the country’s natural resources for maximum economic benefit.

The Renewables Action Plan identifies collective actions by government, its agencies and partners, to ensure at least a fifth of Scotland’s energy comes from renewables by 2020.

Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth John Swinney said that developing the right renewables infrastructure and boosting skills will help Scotland to meet its climate change targets.

The plan aims to:

• Kickstart a renewable heat industry to massively increase take-up;
• Identify necessary infrastructure projects and options to deliver them; and
• Get the skills mix right to maximise potential and attract investment.

“Moving to a low-carbon economy presents huge economic opportunities and our Climate Change Bill now commits us to action,” Swinney said. “Offshore wind, marine energy and renewable heat will now be a key focus due to the potential to generate clean energy, reduce emissions and the associated manufacturing and infrastructure opportunities. Scottish Enterprise and HIE will develop a clear framework for port and land infrastructure to support the manufacturing, construction, and operation of offshore wind, wave and tidal devices.”

Swinney continued, “Heat from renewables needs to rise tenfold in the next decade and we will investigate all options to boost the sector, from large-scale industrial plants, more energy from biomass and waste, through to microgeneration. We will support growth in, and diversification into, the renewable heat sector with further targeted inward investment.”

He concluded, “The plan requires long-term collaboration, and that process begins now. The pace of change demands a constantly evolving framework and the plan will be updated and refreshed every six months to take account of the latest developments. That is the way we will stimulate a leading renewables industry and play our part in tackling climate change.”