Does Scotland have enough energy resources?
Answer:
There are three elements to power supply - generation, distribution and selling. It is probable that distribution will be nationalised as a public utility. Power also relates to gas supply. The distribution is already regulated by Scottish Power Networks.
Full answer here: How to keep the lights on
Answer:
To meet future demand and ensure energy security we will need to double the amount of currently-installed renewable generation. It will also need a lot of energy storage. We have much more marine energy to generate hydrogen than we need for domestic and heavy goods transport. These resources are potentially an amazing export opportunity.
Full answer here: Energy resources of Scotland
A strategy to utilise Scotland’s wind wealth
Author / Creator: Dave Pearson
Media type: Article
Date published: 2025
Private wire systems – direct pathways from energy generation to consumption
Loadshifting – can we make better use of Scottish green electricity?
Author / Creator: Charlie McCarthy
Media type: Article
Date published: 2025
The basic idea is to install a household battery to every household connected to the National Grid.
How to own Scottish energy
Author / Creator: Common Weal
Media type: Article
Date published:
Who owns Scotland’s energy resources is strongly relevant to Scotland’s future
Why Scotland's energy future shouldn't be about nuclear
Author / Creator: Amory Lovins
Media type: Opinion
Date published: 2025
Each year, nuclear adds as much net global power capacity as renewables add every two days
Sorted. A handbook for a better Scotland
Author / Creator: Commonweal
Media type: book
Date published: 2022
'Sorted' is a vision for a shared future in an independent Scotland. A future which puts all of us first. It looks at what's possible and describes how we can make independence and Scotland successful.
Three Reasons Westminster’s Energy Strategy Doesn’t Work for Scotland
Author / Creator: Believe in Scotland
Media type: Article
Date published:
Scotland urgently needs a transformation of the UK’s electricity transmission system which does not serve Scotland’s needs. It also needs more investment in energy efficiency and demand reduction
Pioneering North Sea renewables project unveiled at COP 26
Author / Creator: Believe in Scotland
Media type: Article
Date published: 2021
Offshore wind resources in the North Sea will create thousands of jobs and boost Scotland ‘s ambitions to be a world leader in renewable energy through a plan unveiled at COP 26 in Glasgow.
Why the Oil Barons Can’t Survive a Green New Deal
Author / Creator: Craig Dalzell
Media type: Article
Date published:
The alternatives to oil are already apparent. The transition to a green economy will remove the demand for almost all oil based products.
How Scottish independence could re-ignite the north-east energy sector. Open minds on independence #17
Author / Creator: Believe in Scotland
Media type: News Media
Date published:
With independence, Scotland could manage a just transition from economic dependence on fossil fuels. And take our rightful place at the heart of developing renewables to power the world.
The key to powering an independent Scotland’s future. Open minds on indepencence #16
Author / Creator: Believe in Scotland
Media type: News Media
Date published:
Renewable energy holds the key to powering Scotland’s future. The country is so richly blessed with prized natural resources. It is well-placed to become a key player in the sector. The renewables industry currently contributes £6.4bn to Scotland’s economy and employs more than 23,000 people.
Energy-food nexus in the marine environment: A macroeconomic analysis on offshore wind energy and seafood production in Scotland
Author / Creator: Yang Qu
Media type: Academic Paper
Date published: February 2021
- Low-cost offshore wind farms (OWFs) would increase both energy security and GDP.
- Subsidising the high-cost OWFs would benefit energy security but not the economy.
- Limited negative impacts on seafood sectors by the OWF expansion were identified .
Life cycle assessment of the carbon intensity of deep geothermal heat systems: A case study from Scotland
Author / Creator: Alistair T.McCay
Media type: Academic Paper
Date published:
We calculate that the carbon intensity of the heat produced 4.9–7.3% of the emissions from heat from natural gas. These values are compatible with Scotland's plans for long term decarbonisation.
Low-carbon GeoEnergy resource options in the Midland Valley of Scotland, UK
Author / Creator: N. Heinemann
Media type: Academic Paper
Date published:
The study suggests that the Midland Valley [of Scotland] represents a viable option in Scotland for the exploitation of the majority of low-carbon GeoEnergy resources.
Watershed: the Turning Point for North Sea Oil and the Just Transition
Author / Creator: Rachel Tansey
Media type: Assessment report
Date published: September 2021
No new oil and gas fields can be approved for development. Given the right policies, a just transition can generate more than three jobs in clean industries for every North Sea oil job at risk
Get the future of energy right
Author / Creator: Common Weal
Media type: Video
Date published: 2020
Energy – electricity, heating and transport fuel – is crucial for the modern Scotland we live in. But it can also be one of our biggest threats if we don’t get them right. It can harm our environment and play a major role in causing the climate crisis. ‘Energy inequality’ can harm the health of those who can’t afford to heat their homes. Scotland is one of the few countries in Europe which does not own its energy publicly and the only one that doesn’t own its own National Grid.
Video 1:35 minutes
The Economics of Shale Gas Extraction
Author / Creator: Craig Dalzell
Media type: Assessment report
Date published: April 2016
Wells become non-productive within a few years, requiring ever more to be drilled. Profit margins are small so require high oil and gas prices. Community stress and negative economic effects are likely. The jobs created are short-lived and highly mobile.
Incentives and Opportunities Signalled by Transmission Charges in Scotland
Author / Creator: Iain Wright
Media type: Policy Paper
Date published:
Scotland is not well served by the UK’s National Grid and the current system restricts the development of Scotland’s renewable energy potential and leads to high charges for Scottish consumers.
Public Energy Company
Author / Creator: Keith Baker
Media type: consultation response
Date published:
A publicly owned energy company to generate and deliver energy to the people of Scotland is necessary.