Nicola Sturgeon will today reveal her government’s new energy strategy on the future of the North Sea and reducing dependence on oil and gas.
The first minister says there is a “clear imperative” to accelerate the clean energy transition and move away from a reliance on fossil fuels.
The draft energy strategy, due to be published on Tuesday, will set out the Scottish Government’s vision for domestic energy production.
This will include an “independent assessment of the future of the North Sea”, Ms Sturgeon confirmed.
The government will also publish its first Just Transition Plan alongside the long-awaited energy strategy.
Energy Secretary Michael Matheson previously told the Press and Journal this will focus on offshore oil and gas workers.
He is slated to deliver a statement on the delayed strategy at Holyrood on Tuesday.
The publication will provide a route map of actions up to 2030.
Ahead of its release, Ms Sturgeon said: “The current energy crisis has demonstrated how vulnerable our energy system is to international price shocks, while laying bare the need for structural reform to ensure affordability for consumers.
“This strategy will shape the next 25 years of energy production in Scotland.
“It provides an independent assessment of the future of the North Sea and shows that as we reduce Scotland’s dependence on oil and gas – as both generators and consumers – there is a huge environmental and economic opportunity to be seized.
“Scotland is already at the forefront of the clean energy transition and our green jobs revolution is underway.
“By continuing to make the most of our vast renewable energy resource, we can deliver a net zero energy system that also delivers a net gain in jobs within Scotland’s energy production sector.”
The SNP conference in October appeared to finally push the future of oil and gas workers further up the Scottish Government’s agenda.
Ms Sturgeon told Aberdeen audience her government has a “duty” to support workers into new green jobs.
However, there has been a lack of detail on the practicalities for doing this.
Aberdeenshire East SNP MSP Gillian Martin surveyed more than 500 oil and gas employees on the just transition last year.
Her work showed just one in 10 workers in the North Sea oil and gas industry say they have enough opportunities to switch to renewables.
Scottish Renewables’ chief executive Claire Mack said meeting net-zero by 2045 will be “tough” but claims the renewables industry is already making strides.
She added: “The Scottish Government has a chance with its draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan to set out how it will use its powers to ensure the transition to net-zero will happen in a way which best benefits Scotland.
“We expect to see a holistic vision with commitments on green power, heat and transport, addressing the many barriers which still stand in the way of renewable energy’s vital growth, and look forward to reading the documents as they are published today.”
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