The influential UK Climate Change Committee (CCC), has said that the capacity of offshore and onshore wind and solar in Scotland needs to more than triple from 15GW in 2023 to 49GW by 2035, increasing to 66GW by 2045.
This would provides 98% of electricity generation in Scotland in 2035 and caters for increasing demand in Scotland and the rest of Great Britain.
The CCC forecast was set out its advice advice on the level of Scotland’s four carbon budgets (covering the period 2026 to 2045).
This is the first time that the Scottish Government has requested these from CCC, but the model is already used for the UK Government, Northern Ireland Assembly, and the Welsh Parliament.
One of CCC’s key recommendations is that the UK government acts to make electricity cheaper, saying that Whitehall should remove policy costs and levies from electricity bills.
The Scottish Government should work with Whitehall to ensure it happens, as it will impact Scotland’s ability to decarbonise at the pace it has set itself, CCC concluded.
Morag Watson (pictured), director of onshore at Scottish Renewables, said in response: “The advice from the Climate Change Committee makes it clear that Scotland cannot deliver a balanced and credible route to meeting its climate ambitions without accelerating the delivery of renewable energy, new electricity network infrastructure and clean heat solutions.
“With a revised Heat in Buildings Bill about to be introduced to parliament, we urge the Scottish Government to act decisively.
“A clear, deliverable strategy for heat decarbonisation must prioritise the role of cost-effective heat networks and ensure all funding schemes are easy to navigate for consumers and suppliers.
“Ultimately, we can only meet our future electricity demand by unlocking Scotland’s clean power potential.
“Not only will this tackle climate change and fuel poverty but enable long-term prosperity through new economic opportunities and energy security.
“We call on ministers to act now to realise the ambitious but credible route to decarbonisation outlined today.”