Scotland’s share of UK onshore wind set to reach 75% by 2030

Scotland will contribute three quarters of the UK’s total onshore operational wind capacity by the end of this decade, RenewableUK has estimated in a new report.

The EnergyPulse report shows that the pipeline of UK onshore wind projects has grown by more than 1.5GW in the last 12 months to 38.54GW.

More than three quarters (78%) of this pipeline, which ranges from early stages of development to fully operational projects, are in Scotland.

The report also forecasts that Scotland’s contribution to the UK’s operational onshore wind capacity will increase from 60% (8.3GW) in 2020 to 75% (20.7GW) by the end of 2030.

Conversely, England’s share is forecast to fall from 21% in 2020 to 11% in 2030.

In addition, the report says 93% of new onshore wind capacity submitted for planning approval since 2016 has been in Scotland.  

Of the 12.5GW of onshore wind capacity submitted UK-wide for consent since that date, one year after the introduction of the de facto planning moratorium on such schemes by David Cameron’s Conservative government, 11.6GW has been north of the border.

The report was launched at a RenewableUK conference in Edinburgh, which also saw the signing of a new onshore wind sector deal between the industry and the Scottish Government.

The new deal, which sets out agreed measures between the industry and government, includes a commitment to halve the time that it takes onshore wind farms to go through planning to only 12 months.

The Scottish Government says from 2025 it will aim to determine Section 36 applications for new sites, and for the repowering of existing operational wind farms, within 12 months where there is no public inquiry. This deadline will be set at 24 months where there is a public inquiry.

The Scottish Government has also said that it will set a five month goal of determining applications to extend the life of operational wind farms.

Data on when and why these timelines are not achieved will be published annually.

RenewableUK’s head of onshore wind James Robottom said: “This sends a clear signal that Scotland is open for business for onshore wind, bringing certainty to investors and enabling the industry to build up new supply chains.

“The Scottish Onshore Wind Sector Deal is an excellent blueprint which could be replicated throughout the UK, to drive down electricity bills and boost our energy security. A well-resourced and efficient planning system is needed in every part of the UK to enable new projects to go ahead where they have local support. We also need UK-wide measures to support vital investment in new grid infrastructure so that projects can connect up faster”.

Claire Mack, chief executive of Scottish Renewables, described the sector deal is a “huge moment for the onshore wind industry in Scotland and said “an incredible amount of hard work” had gone into making it happen.