SSE and other renewable developers have urged the UK Government to support non-mainland wind projects in the north of Scotland.
Tapping into the natural resources on the islands will deliver low-carbon energy and bring jobs and a sustainable supply chain to remote parts of the UK.
The Government is consulting on whether remote island wind should be treated separately from mainland onshore wind, and therefore allowed to compete in forthcoming auctions for low-carbon generation.
In a letter to the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, SSE and fellow developers said the projects on the Scottish Islands of Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles are home to some of the best conditions in the world with high wind speeds and productivity. The resources on the islands are under-used and with a world-leading skilled workforce capable of building projects at scale it could help deliver real growth for the North of Scotland and deliver contracts and jobs across the country.
Scotland has a long tradition of renewable energy development, with a world-leading skilled workforce capable of building projects at scale. It’s a great success story and the Scottish islands can be the next stage of the development of the renewable energy industry. We urge the UK Government to now take this opportunity.