Renewable energy could offer the most significant step change in Shetland’s economy since the discovery of North Sea Oil and Gas nearly 50 years ago. We are extremely fortunate in Shetland to have a substantial quantity of renewable energy resource in and around Shetland, which is estimated at 2,200 gigawatt hours per annum.
We are currently only harnessing energy from a tiny fraction of this with just over 16,000KW of renewable energy installed across domestic and commercial systems. But that is changing.
By investing in renewable energy solutions, Shetland has the opportunity to continue exporting energy to the wider world, diversifying our economy and creating opportunities for future generations.
High output windfarms already exist in Shetland, including community-owned assets, and several major onshore developments are either under construction or have been consented.
The islands are also home to the world's first array of tidal turbines in the Bluemull Sound between Yell and Unst, which is also home to the Pure Energy Centre.