Update to the 2020 Offshore Wind Policy Statement: Scotland's Offshore Wind Ambition

2. Scotland’s updated offshore wind ambition

In summer 2025, the Scottish Government consulted on a proposal to increase Scotland’s offshore wind ambition from 8–11 GW by 2030 (as set out in the 2020 policy statement) to up to 40 GW of new offshore wind by 2035–2040. The consultation sought views on whether this level of ambition was appropriate and received 80 responses from both individuals and organisations. A full analysis of responses is available online.

Responses reflected a range of perspectives:

• Supportive views welcomed the higher ambition as a clear signal of long-term commitment, with potential to attract investment and accelerate sector growth.
• Concerns raised included impacts on the environment, nature, and other marine users, a potential lack of benefit to communities, and the deliverability of the scale of ambition being consulted on.

In determining the updated ambition, the Scottish Government considered:

• Consultation feedback.
• The potential strategic benefits for Scotland.
• Measures to address concerns raised.
• The rapid growth in power demand expected over the 2030s and 2040s.

The following key strategic benefits for Scotland were identified:

• Energy security: Reducing reliance on volatile fossil fuel markets and strengthening UK energy independence which will protect businesses and families from increased energy bills.
• Economic growth: Unlocking private investment, building a world-class domestic supply chain, creating thousands of high-quality jobs, and revitalising coastal communities.
• Just transition: Offering people, businesses and communities an alternative energy industry to work in and be part of as we transition away from fossil fuels.
• Climate action: Accelerating progress towards net zero while meeting international commitments by increasing Scotland’s renewable energy generation.
• Innovation leadership: Pioneering floating wind technology and integrated energy solutions through the ScotWind and Innovation and Targeted Oil and Gas (INTOG) leasing rounds - positioning Scotland as a global hub for innovation.

The Scottish Government is now resetting its offshore wind policy ambition to up to 40 GW of new offshore wind capacity by 2040, in addition to the already operational or consented capacity (as of August 2025 when the consultation ended).

This updated ambition:

• Reaffirms our commitment to supporting the delivery of the existing project pipeline, including ScotWind and INTOG projects.
• Clarifies that no further offshore wind leasing rounds are planned in the near term.
• Establishes a clear and realistic timescale – 2040 – rather than 2035-2040.

We acknowledge the concerns from other marine users about the potential impacts of large-scale development on their sectors and the marine environment, and we remain firmly committed to sustainable, plan-led growth.

The Scottish Government is working to manage marine space in a way that safeguards environmental interests and supports all marine users, including our valued fishing sector, so that every sector can thrive. This principle underpins our ongoing update of the Sectoral Marine Plan for Offshore Wind Energy (SMP-OWE) and our efforts to deliver strategic compensation measures and establish a Scottish Marine Recovery Fund.

While we will do everything in our power to deliver on the updated ambition for offshore wind in Scotland, we are clear that deployment of the potential pipeline will always be subject to rigorous planning consents and project-level impact assessments.

Delivery also depends on the UK Government and its agencies playing their part in ensuring a supportive policy and investment environment including by delivering timely grid connections and upgrades, successful Contacts for Difference allocation rounds, and creating a level playing field for Scottish projects by addressing unfair transmission charges. Global market conditions will also remain a factor.