Scotland's renewable energy sector supported an estimated 49,200 full-time equivalent (FTE) jobs and generated £14.9 billion in economic output in 2024, according to an independent study by the University of Strathclyde's Fraser of Allander Institute, commissioned by Scottish Renewables.

The report also calculates the industry's gross value added (GVA) at £5.1 billion, underscoring the sector's significance to Scotland's economy.

Ahead of today's Autumn Budget (28 October), Scottish Renewables urged the UK Government to prioritise renewable energy within its growth and industrial strategies and to remove barriers that are hindering private investment.

The analysis shows offshore wind supported the most employment of any renewable technology in 2024, with about 18,800 FTE roles across Scotland. Onshore wind accounted for 17,825 FTE positions, hydropower for 4,100, and renewable heat for 3,025.

Key developments during 2023–24 included the opening of South Kyle Wind Farm in 2023, which delivered £44 million in local spending and is expected to provide £38 million in lifetime community benefits. Seagreen, Scotland's largest offshore wind farm, became fully operational in 2023; the £3 billion project supports around 80 direct jobs at Montrose Port. In 2024, Sumitomo Electric began building a £350 million subsea cable factory at Nigg, expected to support around 250 direct jobs. Coire Glas completed £100 million of exploratory works in 2024 and, if constructed, would be the UK's first major pumped storage hydro scheme in more than 40 years.

Angela Hepworth, CEO of Scottish Renewables, said: "Scotland's renewable energy industry is a major engine of economic growth, supporting nearly 50,000 jobs and generating almost £15 billion of output. From construction to operation and maintenance, it supports businesses, livelihoods and communities across the country.

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"On Autumn Budget day, these figures show why renewable energy must be at the heart of any serious plan for growth, strengthening energy security, driving reindustrialisation and attracting investment to Scotland.

"With much of the energy transition funded by private investment, both governments need to give businesses confidence to commit. The UK Government must back Scotland's pipeline in its strategic energy plans and ensure projects can compete in future auctions, while the Scottish Government must speed up planning decisions.

"While these results are encouraging, there is no room for complacency. Scotland has more potential to unlock and certainty will be essential to future growth. We thank the Fraser of Allander Institute for its valuable work to improve the data and deepen our understanding of the industry's economic contribution."

Stuart McIntyre, Professor of Economics and Head of the Economics Department at the University of Strathclyde, added: "This latest report highlights that Scotland's renewable energy sector contributes much more than the energy it generates. Its economic impact extends across a wide range of industries, supporting jobs, businesses and supply chains throughout the country.

"Renewables have an important role to play alongside other technologies in delivering a secure, affordable and increasingly low-carbon energy system. There is also a significant opportunity for Scotland to capture more of the economic benefits associated with investment in the sector, but this will depend on having the right skills, infrastructure and supply chains in place.

"Improving the availability of Scotland-specific data will be essential to understanding the sector's contribution and ensuring that future policy and investment decisions are informed by robust evidence."

The report covers both 2023 and 2024. Because renewable energy is not separately identified in the National Accounts, researchers combined the Office for National Statistics' Low Carbon and Renewable Energy Economy survey with a model of the Scottish economy based on the Scottish Government's 2022 input-output tables.

Headline figures capture direct activity in renewable energy, indirect activity across supply chains and induced effects from employee spending. The 49,200 FTE positions span the wider economy rather than all being directly employed by renewable companies, and UK industry proportions are used to allocate Scottish activity due to limited recent Scotland-specific detail.

The findings present a snapshot for each year and should not be interpreted as year-on-year growth. Survey uncertainty, revisions to ONS data and an updated economic model mean the results are not directly comparable with previous editions. For 2023, the report estimates £13.8 billion of output, £4.7 billion of GVA and around 42,800 FTE jobs.