The Scottish government has raised its offshore wind ambition to up to 40 gigawatts of new capacity by 2040, replacing its previous target of 8–11 GW by 2030, citing strong private sector interest in recent seabed leasing rounds.
The revised goal reflects demand from developers participating in the ScotWind and Innovation and Targeted Oil and Gas leasing programmes, the government said.
The announcement coincided with £1.8 million in funding to support early ground investigation and design work for Stornoway Port’s proposed Deep Water South project, which is intended to support floating offshore wind development.
Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Energy Gillian Martin said offshore wind represented a major economic opportunity for Scotland.
“Increasing our offshore wind capacity ambition to up to 40GW by 2040 reaffirms our commitment to growing the offshore wind sector – giving certainty to investors – and will help to support our national climate ambitions,” Martin said.
She added that Stornoway’s location, skills base and existing infrastructure made it well placed to support the sector, with the Deep Water South expansion aimed at accommodating floating wind vessels and providing space for large-scale construction and operations.
Stornoway Port chief executive Alex Macleod said the funding marked a significant step for the Outer Hebrides.
“Deep Water South is about unlocking the next phase of opportunity, supporting offshore wind, strengthening renewable energy infrastructure and ensuring Stornoway is ready to play a leading role in Scotland’s energy transition,” Macleod said.
The new terminal is designed to enable integration of turbine towers, nacelles and blades onto floating foundations, supporting offshore renewable projects in surrounding waters. Funding for the project will be delivered through Highlands and Islands Enterprise.
Colin Palmer, director of offshore at trade body Scottish Renewables, welcomed the updated target, noting that the sector already supports more than 16,500 full-time jobs in Scotland and contributes £6.8 billion to the economy.
“Scotland will play a key role in achieving the UK’s ambition to build a clean, secure and energy resilient energy system,” Palmer said, urging the UK government to reflect Scotland’s 40 GW target in its strategic energy planning.
