US Export Plan - Sector Report- Renewables

Overview

Renewable energy sits at the heart of Scotland’s green economy and international trade ambitions. It is a cornerstone of Scotland’s Green Industrial Strategy, which identifies renewable energy - particularly wind and hydrogen - as major opportunities for economic growth and global competitiveness. Its strategic importance is reinforced through ‘A Trading Nation – A framework to Grow Scotland’s Renewables Exports’ and the subsequent ‘Renewables Exports Action Plan’, published in 2025. These set out the Scottish Government’s commitment to expanding renewable energy exports by improving sector data, strengthening supply chains, and supporting companies to access priority global markets^[1]. Further emphasis comes from Scotland’s Hydrogen Export Plan, published in 2024, which outlines targeted actions designed to position Scotland as a leading producer and exporter of renewable hydrogen by 2030^[2].

For the purpose of this report, the renewable and low-carbon energy sector is defined as encompassing offshore and onshore wind, low-carbon or green hydrogen, carbon capture and storage, geothermal, wave and tidal power, alongside other energy transition capabilities such as clean fuel (including Sustainable Aviation Fuel) and grid modernisation and optimisation. Scotland is well positioned in many of these subsectors. Decades of experience in offshore oil and gas have created a highly skilled workforce and a robust international supply chain that are able to add significant value in areas such as offshore wind and marine energy. In addition, Scotland benefits from exceptional natural resources, including abundant onshore and offshore wind and some of Europe’s strongest tidal currents, providing a foundation for world-class renewable energy development which can provide a basis for products and services that can also be exported.

Research conducted by The University of Strathclyde’s Fraser of Allander Institute shows that Scotland’s renewable energy sector supported 10,900 jobs and generated £10 billion of output in 2022. When the wider supply chain impact is also included, this contribution rises to £15.5 billion of output, £6.6 billion of GVA and over 47,000 jobs across the Scottish economy. Offshore wind is the renewable energy technology supporting the most employment across the Scottish economy with 19,580 full-time equivalent roles while onshore wind supports 16,865 jobs and renewable heat supports a further 4,095 roles^[3].

Renewable projects and capacity in Scotland continues to grow and the trend for growth is spread across a mix of renewable technologies. As of the end of September 2025, there were 1,174 renewable energy projects in the pipeline^[4]. Breaking this down by technology shows that battery storage accounts for the largest share of this projected capacity (31GW), followed by onshore wind (18.2GW) and offshore wind generation^[5] (17.8GW, with ambition to scale up to 40GW of capacity by 2040^[6]). While there are still barriers to address to realise this growth, as Scotland further develops in each of these areas, experience will be built that is exportable, and will help put key Scottish supply chain companies ahead of many global competitors. Scotland is already at the forefront of a range of clean energy innovations. This includes being home to the world’s first community-owned tidal array and the first floating offshore wind farm. The world’s largest commercial floating wind farm is being developed in Scotland as well^[7]. As opportunities in these areas develop overseas, this experience is poised to put Scottish companies in a strong position for exporting relevant goods and services.