The Scottish Government has set a range of challenging targets for energy and climate
change. These recognise the potential to take advantage of the extensive marine energy
resources (wind, wave and tidal power) available in Scottish waters and include meeting at
least 30% of total energy demand from renewable sources by 2020, incorporating:
o 100% of electricity demand from renewables (31% by 2011)
o 11% of heat demand from renewables
o 10% of transport fuel from renewables
In addition, the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 sets statutory targets of at least 42%
emissions cuts by 2020, and at least 80% by 2050.
To assist in meeting these targets, the Scottish Government has adopted an iterative
approach to marine planning for the renewable energy sectors. A Sectoral Marine Plan for
Offshore Wind Energy in Scottish Territorial Waters (Blue Seas - Green Energy) sets out the
Government's vision for developing offshore wind energy up to 2020 and beyond and has
identified short term development sites for offshore wind up to 2020, with a potential to
deliver almost five Gigawatts (GW) of electricity generation capacity. A new Scoping Study
extends the potential development area out to 200 nm.
A sensitivity analysis of the process used to develop the offshore wind Plan concluded that,
as additional data and monitoring information and improved data handling procedures
become available, these should be incorporated into the emerging iterative marine planning
process.