Scotland will need significant investment in new electricity transmission infrastructure to ensure investors in renewable energy have confidence that they will have access to markets across the UK and other parts of Europe.
This is one of the conclusions of the Scottish government’s 2030 vision for electricity and gas networks, released today.
Investment in new transmission infrastructure will also be needed to link the country’s islands and help provide connectivity to new renewables capacity needed to meet the country’s 50% clean power target by 2030, the vision said.
The system will also have to continue delivering a secure and stable supply, despite a continuing switch from “large dispatchable and synchronous generation” to “increasing contributions from intermittent renewables and interconnection”, it added.
The shift to more variable renewable supplies also means that transmission links to England and Wales have become increasingly important with more needed to provide back up, the document said.
It also said strong interconnections will be required with European neighbours to ensure Scottish renewable power has as wide market access as possible.
New links will also be required within Scotland to connect the country’s “huge marine renewables potential” around the country’s coasts.
Overall, the vision aims to provide an inclusive transition to a decarbonised energy system and take a whole system approach across heat, transport and electricity that is based on smarter, local energy needs.
Scottish energy minister Paul Wheelhouse said: “Our vision for the networks highlights the growing complexity, technical challenges, structural changes and new technologies that together have the potential to fundamentally alter the relationships between consumers and the networks.
“It also shows the unique opportunity that exists in Scotland to lead the development of networks that are fit for the 21st Century, enabling and sustaining a truly low carbon economy.”
Scottish Renewables chief executive Claire Mack said: “The Networks Vision places renewables at the heart of the energy transition and focuses on a whole system approach across heat, transport and electricity which will help facilitate the development of an infrastructure which benefits all Scotland’s communities.
“It is important that the Scottish government work with Ofgem to ensure that decarbonisation is a key focus in the development of our networks going forward and to ensure the transition to smarter, local energy models is an inclusive one.”