Scotland's bioenergy strengths

An abundance of bioenergy resources give Scotland huge commercial potential as a centre for the bioenergy sector. Scotland’s renewable heat capacity from bioenergy sources is estimated at 200 MW.

Scotland’s bioenergy strengths include:

  • 60 percent of the UK’s forestry resource with maturing forests helping to double timber production over the next 15 years 
  • 17 percent of Scotland land area comprises woodland and there are large area of agricultural land for growing energy crops 
  • Interest in Combined Heat and Power plants has grown, with Scotland’s timber, pulp and paper industries among at the forefront of this technology
  • 90 percent of Scotland’s renewable heat capacity comes from bioeneregy sources
  • The Scottish Renewable Obligation has led to demand for both bienergy and the use of both wood and coal in traditional coal-fired power stations 
  • Large areas of Scotland are not on the National Gas Grid creating a market for bioenergy domestic heating solutions 
  • Scotland can boast world leading biodiesel production technology which reduces the overall cost of biodiesel production plants

Support for the bioenergy sector in Scotland

Scotland’s political environment is supportive of renewable energy with the Scottish Government’s targets including:

  • A target of 31 percent of electricity consumption in Scotland from renewable power by 2011 has been exceeded
  • Generating the equivalent of 100 per cent of Scotland's own electricity demand from renewable resources by 2020, compared to 20 percent for the rest of the UK

The bioenergy industry is well served in Scotland with a number of organisations representing this growing industry:

  • Macaulay Institute – a scientific research organisation with the goal of “research today for land use tomorrow”
  • Forestry Commission Scotland – acts as the Scottish Government’s forestry department including research on bioenergy solutions
  • Scottish Renewables - Scotland’s renewable energy industry forum supports the development and provision of sustainable energy
  • Scottish Association of Marine Sciences – an independent research institutes, projects include algae, macroalgae and microalgae as a source of bioenergy

Investment in Scotland’s bioenergy sector