A new deal between the onshore wind industry and the Scottish Government has been signed today outlining how both parties will work together to deliver onshore wind farms quickly, sustainably and to the benefit of both local communities and Scotland’s net-zero target.
The Onshore Wind Sector Deal features measures that will help Scotland more than double its onshore wind capacity from 9.3GW to 20GW by 2030.
These measures include halving the time it takes for onshore wind farms to receive planning approval to 12 months and ensuring earlier engagement with local communities to agree a “package of benefits”.
The deal also includes a commitment to creating a sustainable solution for the recycling, refurbishing and repurposing of decommissioned wind turbines and their components.
The landmark onshore wind sector deal was signed today at Scottish Renewables’ annual conference by (from l to r) Claire Mack, Scottish Renewables, Neil Gray, Cabinet Secretary for Wellbeing Economy, Fair Work and Energy, Gillian Martin, Minister for Energy and the Environment and Barry Carruthers, Chair of the G12/S5 Onshore Wind Sector Working Group.Claire Mack, Chief Executive of Scottish Renewables, said:
“Today is a huge moment for the onshore wind industry in Scotland.
“A world leader in renewable energy, Scotland has an ambition for onshore wind to have 20GW of onshore wind by 2030 and the Onshore Wind Sector Deal will play a key role in helping us to hit this target.
“An incredible amount of hard work has gone in to making this deal happen and it is a real benefit to the industry knowing that the time onshore wind farms take to go through planning will be halved to only 12 months. It is also encouraging to see operators and the Scottish Government committed to creating a sustainable solution and a circular economy supply chain for the recycling of wind turbine component parts.
“We look forward to working closely with The Scottish Government to ensure the Onshore Wind Sector Deal is effectively implemented on the road to achieving Scotland’s net-zero ambitions.”
Neil Gray MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Wellbeing Economy, Fair Work and Energy said:
“This deal is a good example of industry and government working closely together to reinforce our shared commitment to reaching net zero.
“As we embrace the possibilities, we acknowledge the challenges that lie ahead. Balancing the needs of energy production with proper environmental stewardship demands diligence and continuous innovation. This deal charts a course that safeguards our natural heritage while delivering clean, affordable energy to power our lives and industries.
“By benefiting communities we are ensuring the rewards of our onshore wind revolution are shared by all. This helps meet our Programme for Government commitments and create a green and growing economy with fairness at its heart.”
The Onshore Wind Sector Deal is available to download in full via the government’s website.
