The green energy revolution is a golden opportunity for scotland

The transformation of Scotland’s energy system will be one of the biggest economic and societal changes we will all live through. Energy underpins every part of our economy and our energy

industry is part of Scotland’s national economic identity. From coal mining through to the development of large scale hydro power and the bringing ashore of oil and gas, it has played a part

in shaping our nation. As a country with a rich oil and gas heritage, we have a responsibility and an opportunity – in a time of geopolitical and climate crisis — to balance energy security

and national economic and social benefit with our international climate commitments. The Scottish Government has recognised for a number of years that the unlimited extraction of fossil

fuels cannot continue. As Glasgow prepared to host COP26 just over a year ago, I set out our intention to move away from a policy of maximum extraction of oil and gas and to set out a new

plan for Scotland’s energy system. Our draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan, published today, seeks to do just that. As this plan shows, it is not just the climate crisis — vitally

important though that is — that necessitates a just transition away from fossil fuels. > 💡 Your SNP @scotgov is working hard to make the most of > Scotland’s renewable energy 

resources. >  > 🤝 Together, we will secure cheaper energy bills, thousands of > high quality jobs and a greener Scotland. pic.twitter.com/FcIustBA4b >  > — The SNP (@theSNP) 

January 10, 2023 Independent research based on industry projections finds that production in the North Sea is projected to be about a third of 2019 levels by 2035 and below 3 per cent of the

1999 peak by 2050. The inescapable fact is that the North Sea is now a mature basin. Even without the climate crisis, we have a duty to plan now for life after oil and gas. Just as we were

one of the first nations to commercially exploit offshore oil and gas, we are now one of the first to meet head on the practical and moral issues that come from a reliance on fossil fuels.

In this decisive decade for our energy sector, we have focused our strategy on delivering bold, ambitious, near-term action to provide confidence and a clear steer to industry, investors and

the people of Scotland. We will increase our existing renewable generation capabilities by at least 20 gigawatts by 2030, compared with 13.4 gigawatts today. This increase could generate

enough electricity to power the equivalent of every home in Scotland for seven years. Wind power is already one of the cheapest sources of energy we have and can be deployed at a pace

commensurate with the climate emergency we face. We have set an ambition for hydrogen production to provide the equivalent of a sixth of Scotland’s energy needs by 2030, with that output

increasing fivefold by 2045. There will also be increasing roles for solar, hydro and marine power, as we confirm our intention to reject inappropriate and outdated sources of energy such as

coal or fracking, and to reduce use of oil and gas. > Scotland's vision for a renewables revolution. >  > A new draft energy strategy sets out how we'll: >  > 🔵 

Grow our green energy export potential >  > 🔵 Work with businesses to attract inward investment >  > 🔵 Support neighbouring countries to decarbonise >  > Read more at 

https://t.co/eBfCh7z5lN pic.twitter.com/lKuYN3dIC9 >  > — ScotGovInter (@ScotGovInter) January 10, 2023 Of course, a transition of this pace and scale cannot be achieved by government

alone. We will work with business and investors to attract the capital and inward investment that is needed to make it happen. We will support communities to benefit from, own and invest in

renewable generation in their areas. This will not just be good for Scotland’s energy self-reliance, it will transform our exporting potential too — supporting the supply needs and

decarbonisation ambitions of our international neighbours. I know that for some, particularly in the northeast where the oil and gas industry has been a major employer for so long, this

scale of change can feel deeply uncertain and worrying. But if we do it properly – with a determination to leave no community behind — it is in fact a huge opportunity. A key finding of the

research underpinning our Just Transition Plan is that the energy transition will result in a net jobs gain in the energy production sector, with the potential to create more jobs than

currently exists within the oil and gas sector. The transition to hydrogen and the huge potential for green hydrogen to become a new export industry, will provide opportunities for the

existing oil and gas workforce and use the significant surplus renewable energy we have the ability to generate. Our £500 million Just Transition Fund is already providing support to grow

Scotland’s highly skilled energy workforce, increase jobs and encourage communities and businesses, particularly in the northeast, to prosper. Our route map forecasts 58,000 low-carbon jobs

being created in energy production as a result of the renewables revolution. > 💡 Scotland already generates a record amount of renewable > electricity – and we’re investing record 

amounts to go much > further. >  > 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Our latest plan sets out how we'll > accelerate Scotland's green energy revolution. >  > 👇🏼 Here's all you need to

 know.https://t.co/5eAzQqIhyH >  > — The SNP (@theSNP) January 10, 2023 And this does not take into account the jobs created if we realise the enormous export potential of renewable

and low-carbon energy generation. Realising the full scale of opportunity in front of us will require focus, determination and hard work. The Scottish government is geared up to deliver

that. But it will also require action at a UK level. Delivering on this strategy to its full extent requires powers we do not currently have, for example to reform energy markets, deliver

grid infrastructure upgrades or license the Acorn carbon capture and storage project around Peterhead. Our strategy sets out the specific, pragmatic actions that need to be taken by the UK

government to deliver an outcome that is in all of our interests. For this reason we have invited the UK government to join us in a focused energy transition delivery group to drive this

vision. Scotland has the natural resources, skills and people to be a global leader of an energy transition that rises to the climate change challenge, delivers energy security and provides

an economic transformation that will support and enrich our communities. We have a duty to seize it. ------------------------- _ This article originally appeared in The Times._