Scotland has significant natural resources for renewable energy production, including strong winds, high solar potential, and extensive hydroelectric resources. The Scottish government has set an ambitious target of powering the entire country with renewable energy by 2020. Realizing this goal would make Scotland a global leader in renewable energy and free the country from fossil fuel dependence. However, some experts doubt the feasibility of achieving the 2020 target given the country's current energy profile and the challenges involved in rapidly transitioning away from conventional sources.

1. Can Scotland’s renewable energy
sector become a viable energy
source for the entire country?
Sam Tarvet

2. Contents
• Scotland as a country - lots of natural resources
• Scotland’s policy and promise – 2020. Compare and contrast with Europe policies
• Renewable Energy – scientific standpoint. Mention Comenius
• Scotland’s wealth of resources = hydro, solar, wind and others w/ Statistics on current
state of them
• Developments being made in anticipation of 2020.
• Hydroelectric movement 2012 – 20,000 new jobs http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-
scotland-highlands-islands-17061075
• Other developments in Scotland- off-shore wind, biomass, geothermal.
• Government debates in 2011 – money spent
• Comenius Project – my involvement, France trip. Own results.
• European problems with nuclear energy- Japan crisis – Scotland’s accelerated pace.
• My view = situation has become corrupted by politics? Talking about it will only prolong
its finishing.
• Institutes of Mechanical and Civil Engineers’ doubts over 2020 target = unrealistic
expectation.
• If Scotland could achieve the target = more jobs, much safer energy sources. (carbon
footprint = practically 0) Leading light in a new era. First country ever to be fully
independent of fossil fuels.

3. Scotland - A wealth of natural
resources.
Scotland has incredible potential.
• ¼ of Europe’s tidal/offshore wind power.
• 1/10 of Europe’s wave power.
• Strong winds.
• Surprisingly high sunlight levels.
• Intricate river network.

4. 2020 Promise
• The Scottish Government has set the target of
100% of our electrical energy demands to
come from renewable sources by 2020.
• Already been revised upwards three times.
• As it stands, 32% already comes from
renewable energy.
Can it be done with just eight years to go?

5. Renewable energy
• ‘‘Energy generated by natural resources which
are theoretically inexhaustible and free of
fossil fuels.’’
• ‘‘The capacity of a physical system to perform
work.’’
Energy can be produced through solar, wind,
biomass, tidal, hydroelectric and geothermal
means.

6. Energy Sources in Scotland
• Like all countries in the EU, Scotland is looking to
minimise its carbon emissions (NREAP
requirement).
• Thus coal and nuclear plants are coming to an
end. Energy in Scotland currently comes from a
variety of sources, and at least initially, they will
all be required to keep up with Scotland’s energy
demands.
• The most prominent sources of energy are
wind, wave, solar, hydroelectric and tidal.

7. Wind Energy in Scotland
• ‘‘With 25% of Europe’s offshore wind potential, the
manufacturing, supply chain, job creation and training
opportunities present Scotland with huge scope for
sustainable economic growth.’’
• Wind energy in Scotland can come from either the
installed wind farms onshore or the new offshore
projects recently developed or in development.
• 1367 turbines across 117 sites (2.4 GW) installed and
operating.
• 36.5 GW estimated in Scotland, leaving roughly 34 GW
that can still be harnessed.

8. Solar Energy in Scotland
• A solar panel system set up in Inverness measured over the
course of 2011.
• This represents the power output of a 2.3 kWp panel system.
The system is quoted as the lowest power output value at which it
can function.
• kWp is kilowatt-peak = 1000W/m2

9. Hydroelectric Energy in Scotland
• 10% of Scotland’s current total energy generation.
• Scotland’s hydroelectric power capacity is currently little over 1.4
GW, but an update on the 2008 Hydro Resource Study estimates
a further 1.2 GW worth of hydro schemes is achievable.
• The 100MW Glendoe Project is likely to resume energy
generation later this year after a period of inactivity. It is also
likely to be the last large scale hydro scheme in Scotland ever.
• There are plans to produce the further 1.2 GW through 7000
new ‘run of river’ projects. These are designed to be small
(100kW-1MW capacities).

10. Hydroelectric Energy in Scotland
The advantages of smaller ‘run of river’ schemes

11. Comenius Project
• Linking schools in Scotland, France, Germany and Italy
with the intention to study and learn about each
other's renewable energy sectors.
• Visit to France – learnt from various presentations that
all member states of the EU made National Renewable
Energy Action Plans in 2010.
• Germany’s 2020 target = 18%
• France’s 2020 target = 20%
• Italy’s 2020 target = 17%
• Our target = 100%