Draft energy strategy and just transition plan

Draft energy strategy and just transition plan: IET comments to the Scottish Government on 15 May 2023.

Together with energy sourcing, the consultation sought ways of ensuring the benefits of transition to a green economy would be shared widely and equitably. 

Scotland needs to do more and work quickly to achieve its net zero vision. 

Together, a range of technologies can provide holistic short to long-term economic and social benefits and minimise negative consequences. 

The solutions are challenging, but they can help deliver a Just Transition and provide energy security and resilience. 

Our key recommendations are as follows:

• Keep the current vision targets. They are already challenging and need to remain achievable.
• Develop and implement a robust, whole system engineering plan for net zero across the energy spectrum. This will give greater understanding of how the vision, its ambitions, roadmaps and outputs can be best managed, taking account of the mix of sustainable energy sources, infrastructure, usage and capacity.  Without an integrated plan, siloed approaches can result in sub-optimal delivery.
• Provide political leadership and develop long-term cross-party commitment at international, national and local levels.
• Maintain Scotland’s energy resilience and security in its transition to net zero. Pragmatically this may involve a longer phasing out of fossil fuels, though it supports a Just Transition by mitigating against fuel poverty.
• Incentivise local green industrial initiatives by reviewing potential barriers such as administration, planning, regulation and funding. This can help create local jobs, provide well-paid careers and generate national economic benefits.  Where necessary, provide funding, especially for the early-stage industrial development of sustainable solutions.
• Provide the means to sustain interest in the STEM-related subjects of students from an early school age.
• Research the opportunities provided by CCUS, recognising its revenue generation potential.
• Provide financial support for sustainability initiatives by households that cannot afford net zero measures.

These recommendations aim to catalyse political, industry, academic and societal buy-in for realistic net zero measures. 

They will help the Scottish Government meet its future net zero energy needs in cost-effective ways that also provide for a just transition, especially for lower socio-economic communities.