Renewables exports: action plan

Renewables Exports Action Plan

Published in March 2023, the Framework to Growing Scotland’s Renewables Exports sets out to create a structure by which we could deliver a range of actions to support Scottish companies to grow their renewables exports. The framework identified areas of action centred around data improvement of renewables exports in Scotland, opportunities to support renewable exporters, internationalisation of Scotland’s sub-sectors and supply chains, and identifying critical international markets for renewable exports.

This action plan summarises the delivery of activity in this Framework to date and identifies how we will continue to build on in future. While this work has provided targeted support to the renewables sector in Scotland, it cannot be viewed in isolation of the wider export support available to companies in Scotland, which when combined across delivery partners, provides a strong package of wrap around support to companies operating in the sector. Through continued delivery, we aim to position Scotland as a leader in the renewable energy sector, driving both domestic growth and international exports.

Summary of Renewable Framework Activity 2023/24

In the financial year 2023/24, the framework received funding to support renewable export activity, key highlights include:

Data Improvement of Renewables Exports in Scotland:

• Data gathering and establishing a robust, central, evidence base of Scottish industrial activity across the energy, renewables, and low carbon sectors.
• Activity to provide clarity and insights on the scale, structure and complexity of change within the sector and to inform economic development support required to maximize the opportunity for Scotland.
• Commenced work to develop a robust framework to capture the renewable energy activity within Scotland to track the growth of Scotland’s renewables sector and subsectors. This work will continue into 2024/25.

Opportunities to Support Renewable Exporters:

• Provided grant funding for renewables companies to support targeted international growth projects.
• Supporting companies to build export capability by managing them through intensive programmes of support, with a focus on international complex selling, international strategy development and export preparation for companies in the early stages of exporting and those transitioning to renewables.
• Enabling companies to build connections, grow sales pipelines and gain exposure to potential international buyers in new markets via trade missions and international trade exhibitions. Key target markets included Japan, Australia and various European markets.
• Engagement with the GlobalScot network to facilitate knowledge exchange and networking opportunities for Scottish companies. Also scoping out opportunities to expand the network in target subsectors and markets.

Internationalisation of Scotland’s Sub-Sectors and Supply Chains:

• Substantial Supply Chain Mapping for offshore wind, heat and other renewables sub sectors developed by Scottish Enterprise to help grow the sector in Scotland at pace, providing potential to build export capability and expertise around the supply chain.
• Merging, interrogation, and analysis of multiple data sets to provide up to date insights on the strengths and scale of the end-to-end supply chain and to identify gaps.
• Development of capability statements, proposition material and supporting digital assets which showcase Scottish company capability, innovation and the strength and depth of the renewable energy sector in Scotland.
• Augmenting supply chain mapping data by investing in new data sources.

Identifying Critical International Markets for Renewable Exports:

• A suite of activity in international markets to understand the key markets for Scotland’s renewables sector including nascent sub sectors and emerging markets with trade opportunities
• Consultancy work to scope out exporting opportunities (current and emerging) in key markets for particular sub sectors.
• Areas of focus included Southeast Asia for geothermal, Canada for wave & tidal, India for geothermal, Germany for green heat & Indonesia for wave & tidal.

Key Outputs in Numbers

1 - New export self -assessment tool in development, which will enable companies to select the most impactful services tailored to their business needs

29 - New digital assets created to highlight and promote Scottish supply chain’s strengths internationally

80+ - Companies supported to expand their export activity through showcasing, internationalisation and marketing

58+ - GlobalScot activities delivered, enabling renewable companies to seize international opportunities

5 - Reports produced with insights on emerging markets to aid the Scottish Supply-Chain

Future Actions: Renewables Sector Export Action Plan

The actions below identify short, medium and long-term ambitions for Scotland’s renewables sector. They highlight the Scottish Government’s key renewables export priorities and demonstrate the work underway to understand and take advantage of sectoral and sub-sectoral opportunities to support the development of the renewables sector in Scotland.

Data improvement of renewables exports in Scotland

• Initial work is being carried out to compile datasets to support our understanding of the makeup and size of Scotland’s renewable energy sector.

Opportunities to support renewable exporters

• Targeted grant support to help SMEs undertake market research, product promotion, market visits and/or attend specialist events aimed at increasing their global footprint.
• Additional cohorts to undergo extensive trade support in international selling and international strategy development including those transitioning to renewables.
• Digital self-assessment tool – enabling Renewables companies to determine where they are in their export journey, understand next appropriate steps in the journey, and be signposted to support from across the export support ecosystem to progress along the journey.
• Further development of supply chain company case studies, capability statements and marketing materials to enable promotion through SDI’s international networks.

Internationalisation of Scotland’s sub-sectors and supply chains

• Continued growth of the renewables Globalscot network in support of Renewables sub-sectors in key markets
• Identification of key sector events in emerging markets to pilot international marketing activity and raise awareness within Scottish supply chain companies of the trade opportunities e.g. Offshore Wind Mission to South Korea & Taiwan.
• Seek out and take part in cross-sector engagement and emerging market opportunities as they develop in the renewables sector.

Identifying critical international markets for renewable exports

• Deliver International market insights and scoping visits to key sub-sector events internationally to identify and foster strategic partnerships, while promoting the growth of the renewable sector in global markets.
• Further development of market specific research to better understand the scale of trade opportunities in current and potential emerging markets.

This action plan is a live document developed in alignment with the Green Industrial Strategy, the soon to be launched Energy Strategy for Just Transition Plan, and our Hydrogen Sector Export Plan which was published on the 29th November 2024. The future priorities and delivery of this plan will reflect those outlined by the aforementioned strategies. This will help set a coordinated strategic direction for our just transition to a renewable energy economy and the development of our industry to meet our net zero targets.

Scottish Government officials will continue to work in partnership with industry and key agencies, including Scottish Development International, the international arm of Scottish Enterprise, who will remain focussed on growing international trade, primarily via the delivery of the actions identified in this framework.

Export Support in Scotland

Scottish Enterprise, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and South of Scotland Enterprise work with the Scottish Government to deliver resources, services, and tailored support to businesses. Together, we assist businesses in starting their export journey, strengthening Scotland’s export base, and enabling established exporters to expand into new international markets.

Visit: www.scottish-enterprise.com/exporting to find out more.