Scottish Renewables has called for policies to support a green economic recovery as it launched a new report arguing that every gigawatt of renewable energy installed in Scotland adds £133m to the economy and creates 1500 jobs.
Scottish Renewables outlined steps the government should take to boost the country’s green recovery including a transition training fund, boosting skills exports and accelerating the transition to clean heat.
The trade body said its new report shows the economic boost available if the government uses renewable energy to pursue a green recovery from the coronavirus pandemic.
It added that countries with more than £2.9 trillion in combined GDP have so far placed a green recovery at the heart of their post-pandemic response.
Steps proposed by Scottish Renewables include establishing a renewable transition training fund to help oil and gas professionals, supply chain businesses, tradesmen and public servants acquire sustainable, exportable skills and join the renewable energy industry.
The government should also use existing trade, export and investment powers to boost skills exports to nations seeking to undertake green recoveries.
The government should work to accelerate the transition to clean heat, tapping the enormous economic opportunity offered by renewable technologies, using the public estate as a primer to create supply chains and local manufacturing, the trade body added.
Scottish Renewables chief executive Claire Mack (pictured) said: “Put simply, the renewable energy industry is Scotland’s passport to green economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic.
“No other industry but renewables provides the opportunity for investment, improvement of health and tackling the climate emergency in one, often shovel-ready package.
“Scotland acted early and set some of the world’s most challenging renewable energy targets, and so has decarbonised its economy quickly.
“We now have skills and products which the world is crying out for as it seeks to find a sustainable, low-carbon route out of the current economic downturn.
“Domestically the need to decarbonise our heat sector – probably the biggest battle faced in Scotland’s fight against climate change – provides enormous opportunity, with a Scottish Renewables study in November identifying 46 potential heat networks which can help cut Scotland’s carbon emissions by 10% while creating construction and civil engineering jobs.
“On top of all that, our expertise in offshore energy, particularly in the north east, coupled with the downturn in the oil and gas industry means many skilled workers are searching for new, sustainable careers. Our industry can provide those.
“A number of other actions, such as ensuring our planning process is aligned with the need to meet the 2045 net-zero target and taking advantage of hundreds of shovel-ready wind, hydro, solar and heat projects, would free up billions of pounds of investment and provide new jobs across Scotland.”