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4. Overview of sectors
Annex A comprises routemaps for each of the technologies that will contribute to the 2020 electricity and heat targets. Particular focus is given to actions over the next 12-24 months, with the intention that this element of the Renewables Action Plan will be updated regularly to reflect progress and new priorities.
The delineation of routemaps according to individual technology sectors does not imply that such work will be addressed in technology silos. It is fully recognised that progress will need to be achieved through a systems approach, where policy impacts can be made across sectors, and this approach is reinforced throughout the Renewables Action Plan - particularly in Skills, Infrastructure and Deployment. However, it is also the case that categorisation by technology sector helps to highlight key themes, including cross-cutting regulatory and other issues, and to harness industry engagement and feedback.
Each of the technology sectors in the Annex will have its own part to play in helping Scotland meet its energy targets, and Ministers are committed to a diverse renewables mix to maximise the scope to match supply with demand, and to enhance security of supply.
However, in terms of policy attention and allocation of budgets, there has to be a degree of prioritisation. Policy support to date has focussed on the embryonic and emerging sectors such as marine energy, offshore wind, biomass, and hydrogen/fuel cells, and this focus will continue in order to grow the market and capitalise on economic development opportunities. In marine energy in particular, Scotland has the potential to be a world leader. However, given the early stage of the technologies, marine energy is unlikely to make a significant contribution to the 2020 electricity target, and thus it will be important not to lose sight of other technology opportunities, and to continue to promote the development of onshore and offshore wind. Offshore wind development will be a key policy focus in the short to medium term, not only for its generation potential, but also in terms of manufacturing and infrastructure opportunities.
Renewable heat is also a top priority for policy support, given the scale of the challenge and the relative lack of incentives to date. Whilst a routemap for renewable heat is included here, this will be supplemented by a detailed Renewable Heat Action Plan in due course to drive forward development. Biomass will deliver the majority of this capacity in the short to medium term, and is an important sector in its own right, but growth of the heat pump and solar markets also needs to be encouraged.
The hydro sector is well established, but while it currently makes up about 50% of all renewables installed capacity in Scotland, this percentage is expected to fall in relative terms as new hydro schemes are likely to be mainly small and micro-scale. Hence hydro policy may be considered low priority in terms of additional contribution to the target but nonetheless important economically for rural diversification and local energy security. Moreover, while there is limited potential for further large scale development, pumped storage projects, appropriately sited, could a provide useful grid balancing solution as the level of renewables generation on the grid grows.
Finally the Hydrogen and Fuel Cell sector is small (unlikely to make a large impact by 2020) but with a huge economic development potential. Applications cut across transport, electricity and heat, with scope to improve energy security, and provide grid balancing solutions. In policy terms, there will be a need to provide focussed support to encourage growth, including awareness raising, and with a focus on Scottish niches - namely rural and remote community applications and storage.
The wider potential for energy storage in Scotland cuts across sectors and will be assessed through an independent study over the coming year.
Progress in all the sectoral routemaps needs to be monitored closely, and short-term actions updated regularly. It is proposed that key FREDS industry sub-groups are established to undertake this task, without duplicating the sectoral focus that bodies such as Scottish Renewables are able to apply.
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