Scottish Government Green Industrial Strategy
The Scottish Government has published its Green Industrial Strategy. The Green Industrial Strategy outlines Scotland’s plan to capitalise on the global transition to a net-zero economy. It focuses on driving economic growth through renewable energy and other green industries while positioning Scotland as a leader in clean energy and environmental sustainability. The strategy hopes to adapt and evolve as our economy transitions, and will be shaped by ongoing engagement with businesses and stakeholders. The strategy highlights five key opportunity areas:
Wind Energy: Building on Scotland’s strong onshore and offshore wind potential to generate clean electricity and foster supply chain growth.
Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS): Developing a sustainable carbon storage industry using Scotland’s vast storage capacity and existing oil and gas infrastructure.
Green Financial and Professional Services: Expanding Scotland’s global reach in green economy services, including renewable energy financing and consulting.
Hydrogen: Leveraging Scotland’s renewable electricity capacity to become a major hydrogen producer for domestic use and export.
Clean Energy-Intensive Industries: Attracting industries that can benefit from Scotland’s growing clean energy resources and electrification efforts.
The document also emphasises creating an environment that supports green growth, including investment in infrastructure, research and development, workforce training, and supply chains.
Possible Points for Small Businesses/retail:
Access to Green Energy: Small businesses, particularly those in retail, can benefit from the increased availability of renewable energy like wind and hydrogen, which may lead to lower energy costs and improved sustainability.
Supply Chain Opportunities: The strategy focuses on growing domestic supply chains, particularly in renewable energy, offering small businesses the chance to participate in local manufacturing, services, and infrastructure development.
Build supply chain resilience: Through recycling and remanufacturing of components and materials. Working closely with partners such as zero Wate Scotland to develop interventions to support a circular approach to the energy transition.
Green Financing:. Small businesses may find new opportunities for securing financing aimed at green transitions, investing in energy-efficient technologies.
Circular Economy: It emphasises material circularity and how businesses can benefit from adopting circular economy practices—such as recycling and refurbishing products.
Workforce Development: New training opportunities aimed at green skills development. The strategy promotes education and training programs to equip workers with the skills needed in green sectors, which could help businesses transition to more sustainable practices.
Economic Growth: The strategy highlights the potential for regional economic development, particularly in rural and island areas, driven by green energy projects.
The overall objective of the document is to help Scotland realise economic growth opportunities from the global transition to net zero.
You can find the full document here.