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Offshore wind farm in Scottish waters with dramatic North Sea conditions
Policy brief

Scotland resets offshore wind target to 40GW by 2040. What does that mean on the ground?

By Vantage Subsea Editorial Published 2026-06-10 8 min read
Image: Unsplash / North Sea imagery

Key takeaway: Scotland has reset its offshore wind ambition to 40GW by 2040. ScotWind and INTOG have already added 23.5GW+ to the pipeline. The gap between ambition and delivery is where ports, suppliers and workers come in.

The Scottish government has committed to up to 40GW of new offshore wind capacity by 2040. That requires ports, cables, vessels, suppliers and thousands of skilled workers. Here is what the number actually means.

The 40GW target

In January 2026, the Scottish government announced a reset of its offshore wind ambition, committing to up to 40GW of new capacity by 2040. This is a significant increase from the previous 8-11GW by 2030 target.

The ScotWind and INTOG leasing rounds have already added over 23.5GW of demonstration and commercial-scale floating capacity to the pipeline. The Buchan project (1GW), Caledonia (2GW), Salamander and others are all at various stages of consenting and development.

At the international level, North Sea nations signed a historic 100GW offshore wind pact, signalling coordinated ambition across the region.

The delivery gap

The International Energy Agency warned in its Renewables 2025 report that offshore wind growth projections have fallen by roughly 25% compared with previous forecasts. Supply chain constraints, grid connection delays and planning bottlenecks are all factors.

This is where the 40GW number becomes practical: it requires massive investment in port infrastructure, cable routes, vessel capacity, manufacturing, training and supply chain development.

Scottish Renewables has urged both Scottish and UK governments to "urgently invest in our port infrastructure, mirroring the level of ambition displayed at Aberdeen, to ensure we have the necessary supply chain and manufacturing bases required for mass offshore wind deployment by the end of this decade."

What this means for people and businesses

For ports: demand for deepwater berths, heavy-lift capacity, laydown areas and operations-and-maintenance bases will continue to grow.

For suppliers: the opportunity spans fabrication, cable installation, vessel services, inspection technology, safety systems, training, logistics and professional services.

For workers: offshore wind, floating wind, decommissioning and port operations all need technicians, engineers, project managers and support staff. The skills transition from oil and gas is real but requires deliberate training and evidence-building.

Read the careers and training guide for how to position yourself in this market.

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