Wind Developers Urge Scotland to Set 30GW Target by 2040

The Scottish Onshore Wind Developers Forum is urging the Scottish Government to set a target of at least 30 gigawatts (GW) of onshore wind capacity by 2040. This goal would nearly triple Scotland's current capacity of 10.7 GW. Analysis from Biggar Economics suggests that reaching this target could generate £4.2 billion in gross value added for the economy and support an average of 6,100 additional jobs between 2034 and 2040.

Industry leaders warn that current ambitions beyond 2030 are insufficient. They argue that the United Kingdom Government's Clean Power 2030 action plan effectively caps Scottish onshore wind at 21.2 GW, which could stifle the deployment of cheap renewable technology and jeopardize thousands of jobs.

Additional projections indicate the 30GW target would provide £44 million in annual community benefit payments and £88 million in business-rate income by 2040, while lowering power system costs for UK consumers.

Scottish Energy Minister Stephen Gethins stated that onshore wind will remain central to the country's energy future beyond 2030. However, he noted that actual deployment depends on UK Government decisions regarding price support mechanisms, grid connections, and the Strategic Spatial Energy Plan.