Scotland's offshore wind sector appears poised for expansion, buoyed by strong Government support and substantial grid infrastructure upgrades.

The planned £58 billion investment in the National Grid announced by NESO, the National Energy System Operator, aims to connect an additional 21GW of offshore wind to the network, alongside other low-carbon generation across Britain. The Government views these upgrades as essential for harnessing Scotland's vast offshore wind resources and delivering clean electricity to meet the UK's growing demand.

While a significant proportion of the upgrades will be focused on undersea cabling, NESO has indicated that additional onshore transmission infrastructure will be essential in realising these targets. This could have major ramifications for landowners and communities located in areas where new offshore connections make landfall and along proposed routes for new transmission infrastructure.

While the UK Government is seeking to reduce capital expenditure on transmission infrastructure through the new capacity limits on onshore wind in Scotland, major reform of the grid network will nonetheless be required to meet growing electricity demand and the projected increase in offshore wind.

The offshore wind sector stands ready for substantial growth, underpinned by significant grid investments. Appraising the challenges and opportunities involved will be crucial for both landowners and project developers.