Rod Hutchison, Partner and Energy Sector Lead at Aberdein Considine, welcomed the Scottish government’s plans to treble its investment in the offshore wind sector in 2025.

He said: “Shona Robinson’s draft 2025/26 Scottish Budget has earmarked £150 million in additional investment for the offshore wind sector and its supply chain. This move, which will help to leverage private investment of £1.5 billion for offshore wind infrastructure and manufacturing capacity, marks a further step in the right direction towards transforming the North-east of Scotland into a renewables powerhouse. It is very encouraging to see investment going into supporting the growth of our renewables economy which can only help to accelerate our vital energy transition efforts.

“We also greatly welcome the announcement of plans to establish an offshore wind hub in the city. This showcases the government’s increasing confidence in the region, following on from the recent decision to base GB Energy in Aberdeen. This new hub will support agencies and industry bodies to streamline what is quite often a complex planning system for offshore renewables projects, ultimately speeding up their deployment. At a time when net zero deadlines are looming, it is heartening to see positive action being taken that will support us in meeting these ambitious targets.”