Trade group RenewableUK says the Scottish Onshore Wind Sector Deal which was signed today could be replicated throughout the rest of the UK.
Doing so would secure investment and jobs in clean tech and ensure that consumers benefit from lower electricity bills, according to the association.
RenewableUK Head of Onshore Wind James Robottom said: “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.”
The deal was signed this afternoon by industry and the Scottish government at the Onshore Wind Conference 2023 in Edinburgh, organised by RenewableUK and Scottish Renewables.
It sets out a series of key measures which will help the Scottish government to reach its target of 20GW of onshore wind by 2030, which is more than double the country’s operational capacity of 9.38GW.
These include a commitment it will take no longer than a year for Scottish onshore wind farms to go through the planning system, engagement with local communities at the earliest opportunity to agree a package of community benefits and greater recycling of turbine components to make the supply chain even more sustainable.
Director of RenewableUK Cymru Jess Hooper added: “We will be watching with keen enthusiasm to see the positive effect this Sector Deal has on supply chain companies, project development and local economic benefit.
“An equivalent deal here would build investor confidence, sending a clear signal that Wales is open for business to onshore wind to achieve our net zero targets and create the thousands of job opportunities on offer.”
RenewableUK has published a new EnergyPulse report at the conference, showing that the UK’s onshore wind pipeline of projects at all stages of development has grown by more than 1.5GW in the last 12 months, from 37GW to 38.54GW.
Around 78% of these projects are in Scotland.
The report forecasts that the country’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.