Energy / Governments pen agreement for Scottish bodies to work on renewables projects
THE UK and Scottish governments have signed an agreement which will see the newly formed GB Energy work with Scottish bodies to support renewables projects.
Energy secretary Ed Miliband is in Aberdeen today (Thursday) to promote the deal, which the UK Government says will see GB Energy deliver maximum value for money for Scottish projects.
Crown Estate Scotland – which leases seabed around Scottish waters for offshore wind projects – is one of GB Energy’s partners in the project, and it welcomed the agreement.
Two proposed wind farms off the coast of Shetland were leased through the Crown Estate’s ScotWind auctions – the 2.3GW Arven project, and the 500MW Stoura development.
“This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity for the UK in general and Scotland in particular to develop a sustainable, long-term energy future,” its chief executive Ronan O’Hara said.
“Crown Estate Scotland is uniquely positioned to be at the heart of that mission, leveraging the Scottish Crown Estate and our role as the maritime licensee in Scottish waters to accelerate decarbonisation and support the delivery of net-zero targets.
“I am delighted this progress has been made and that we can now build on this agreement, working closely with the Scottish and UK Governments, GB Energy, and others from across Scotland and the United Kingdom to support the delivery a sustainable and prosperous future for all.”
GB Energy has £8.3 billion in funding to use over this Parliament, with Miliband pledging that Scotland would pave the way for the project.
“Scottish energy workers will power the United Kingdom’s clean energy future – including in carbon capture and storage, in hydrogen, in wind, and with oil and gas for decades to come as part of a fair transition in the North Sea.”
Ahead of today’s agreement, the UK Government has also confirmed oil and gas workers will be supported to move more easily into careers in the renewables industry through a ‘skills passport’.
The initiative has been supported by both governments, and will recognise transferrable skills and qualifications and map out career pathways for workers looking to switch into the renewables sector.
A digital tool for workers is set to be piloted in January 2025.
Uplift UK, which supports efforts for a fair transition away from oil and gas, said the agreement was “long overdue”.
“Hopefully this is just the beginning and we soon see much more detailed transition planning driven by both governments and trade unions, and backed by public funding,” executive director Tessa Khan said.
“This will ensure the UK and Scotland capture the enormous benefits that the energy transition presents, whether that’s creating good, secure jobs in clean energy, growing new industries such as decommissioning, reinvigorating our port towns, or building wealth in communities that have not received the support they need as North Sea oil and gas inexorably declines.”
And trade union Prospect also backed the plans, with senior deputy general secretary Sue Ferns saying co-ordinated efforts were “essential” if Scotland was to reach its target of decarbonising its power supply by 2030.
“We hope that if the skills passport scheme is a success it will be possible to quickly roll it out more widely to help workers affected by the transition to net xero access jobs in clean energy,” she added.
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