Industry Overview

With one of the healthiest and most diverse energy industries on the planet, Scotland has already attracted some of the world's most talented individuals into its energy sector, as well as major international companies.

Scotland's unique location means that it can draw on a variety of energy sources. From the oil and gas fields of the North Sea to power generation using coal and nuclear and renewable resources, Scotland’s energy industry is rich and booming.

Scotland's energy industry strengths

Oil and gas

  • Scotland is home to all the major oil and gas operators
  • The industry provides jobs for around 145,000 skilled people of all nationalities
  • Scotland has more than 2,000 service and supply companies active in more than 40 countries worldwide
  • Scottish strengths include subsea engineering, down-hole technology and education and training

Renewable energy


 

  • Scotland has potentially one quarter of Europe's current wind, wave and tidal energy
  • Onshore wind generation currently supports nearly 3,000 jobs in Scotland
  • Scotland is pioneering research into fuel cell technology, a field that is hugely important to the energy industry
  • The Scottish Government is committed to huge growth in renewable energy, and has already helped set up 100 renewable energy sites, including 76 hydro-electric schemes and 25 large wind farms
  • Businesses and universities are carrying out cutting edge research in Scotland's energy industry in areas such as wind, wave, tidal, fuel cells, hydro-electricity and biomass
  • Scotland has a set target to generate 50 per cent of its electricity from renewable means by 2020
  • New developments are being made in Clean Coal Technologies in order to cause less harm to the environment

Power generation and transmission

  • Scotland is a net exporter of electricity, with a generating capacity of 10.1GW comprising coal, gas, hydro, nuclear and oil power generation
  • Renewable energy produces around 13 per cent of electricity generated in Scotland and current installed capacity is 1.8GW (Gigawatts)
  • Energy generation in Scotland earns £1.3 billion and employs more than 12,000 people from all over the world

Scotland is a global hub for the energy companies

Scotland has a wide range of local and multinational companies working across the energy industry, working in areas such as exploration and production, to subsea and offshore wind.

Some of the many companies located in Scotland include

  • Exxon
  • Mobil
  • BP
  • Shell
  • Schlumberger
  • Subsea7
  • Scottish and Southern Energy
  • Gaia Wind
  • Aquamarine Power

Search energy employers in Scotland

Scottish universities lead the way in energy research

Many of Scotland’s universities are renowned for their research and applications in the energy industry.

These institutions work both individually and collaboratively, for example, Scotland's Energy Technology Partnership involves 11 Scottish universities.

Some of Scotland’s universities leading the way in energy research include

  • The Oil and Gas Centre at the University of Aberdeen
  • The Centre for Energy, Petroleum and Mineral Law and Policy at the University of Dundee
  • The Institute of Petroleum Engineering at Heriot-Watt University
  • Centre for Research in Energy and Environment at Robert Gordon University
  • The Institute for Energy Systems at the University of Edinburgh
  • The Centre for Economic Renewable Power Delivery at the University of Strathclyde
  • Department of Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering at the Universities of Glasgow and Strathclyde

More on academic departments and research institutes in Scotland