Shetland and North East Scotland Techno Economic Study

Support partners to plan and deliver energy reduction/transition in key commercial sectors, focusing on renewable energy generation, fishing, aquaculture, agriculture, transport, aviation and oil and gas in particular.

This study was led by the Net Zero Technology Centre, Worley, VOAR, and Wood Mackenzie, with support from Shetland Islands Council. 

Shetland and the North East of Scotland have an advantageous geographical location, abundance of renewable resources and a shared industrial legacy of decades of oil and gas operations on which to build energy transition activities. 

The purpose of this study is to ensure the greatest value can be identified across each region through strategically considering the technical and economic potential of different low carbon technology options.  This in turn supports the development of opportunity-specific business and investment cases.

The study focused on the following key ambitions:

  • Transforming the current dependency on fossil fuels to decarbonise and ensure an affordable renewable energy supply for the local communities
  • Enabling offshore oil and gas sector transition to net zero
  • Creating renewable energy products, such as hydrogen and associated derivatives, for export at industrial scale by harnessing offshore wind power
  • Promoting the re-use of existing infrastructure and to aid the energy transition
  • Sustaining thousands of jobs and supply chain opportunities for the local communities

It explored the potential and readiness of energy transition options and technologies for the region. It also offers nine recommendations to realise the low carbon energy potential which will require strategic thinking and investment into areas that support its development and deliver long-term sustainable economic growth to the regions.

Shetland and North East Scotland study