Scotland will miss its 100% renewable electricity target without further investment in onshore and offshore wind, according to a new report.
The study, by industry body Scottish Renewables, shows Scotland is on course to generate the equivalent of 87% of its annual demand for power from renewables by 2020, and highlights the need for further support from the UK government if the target is to be met.
Scottish Renewables chief executive Niall Stuart said: “The 100% target has provided a powerful focus for government, industry and supporting bodies like HIE and Scottish Enterprise, and really put Scotland’s renewable energy industry on the map.
“However, current projections show that we’re not going to meet it unless we get more projects going ahead between now and 2020.
“There are consented schemes onshore and offshore that could get us there, but they can only go ahead if they are allocated a long-term contract for their power.
“The industry had expected an auction round for contracts this autumn, but UK ministers postponed that, and we are still unsure if and when that will go ahead which is inevitably impacting on investor confidence across the industry.
“If we don’t start the process by next spring, the delay could fatally undermine the timeline for the projects on Scotland’s main island groups, ending prospects for major developments on the Western Isles and Shetland. It would also raise serious questions about whether the proposed offshore wind projects can make the 2020 deadline.
“Essentially it is this simple – if we get an allocation round next spring and enough Scottish projects are successful we can still hit the target.”
The 2020 target is not legally binding and therefore there are no penalties for missing it.
