It is estimated that 25% of all of Europe's wind energy crosses the seas around Scotland. Therefore Scotland is well positioned to reap the benefits that offshore wind development offers.
The Scottish Government believes that offshore wind energy represents the biggest opportunity for sustainable economic growth in Scotland for a generation. As a result the Government is working in active partnership and collaboration with all offshore wind developers active in Scotland, grid companies, manufacturing firms, academia, other relevant parties and the key public sector bodies to put in place the necessary components to secure these benefits.
The Offshore Wind Industry Group (OWIG) has been formed to provide a forum for the public sector (Scottish Government, Scottish Enterprise, Highlands & Islands Enterprise and Scottish Development International), offshore wind developers active in Scotland and other relevant parties to drive the success of this industry into Scotland. The role of the Group is to identify and take forward the actions necessary to support this industry in realising the fullest economic and environmental benefits for Scotland.
As part of this work OWIG has developed Scotland's Offshore Wind Route Map. This document makes a series of recommendations to develop the offshore wind sector in Scotland.
An initial nine offshore sites within Scottish Territorial Waters (up to 12 nautical miles) have been granted "exclusivity agreements" by The Crown Estate to develop offshore wind projects with the potential capacity of 5.8GW. In addition a further 2 sites (Moray Firth and Firth of Forth) coming under the UK's Round 3 offshore wind programme will increase Scotland's potential capacity to 10.6GW.
Following on from this initial process, Marine Scotland undertook a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) of Scotland's marine environment. This work has now concluded with the Government publishing on 18 March 2011 it's vision for developing offshore wind energy up to and beyond 2020 in the two-part publication Blue Seas - Green Energy: A Sectoral Marine Plan for Offshore Wind Energy in Scottish Territorial Waters.
As a result of the SEA process 5 offshore wind sites within Scottish Territorial Waters moved forward to the "Agreement for Lease" stage with The Crown Estate. These 5 sites, along with the 2 sites under the UK's Round 3 programme means that Scotland has the potential capacity of up to 10GW.
Further information can be found at Scotland's Offshore Wind Portal.