Scottish Enterprise and Energy Transition Zone Ltd (ETZ Ltd) have entered a strategic partnership valued at up to £20 million to help accelerate Scotland’s energy transition, with a clear focus on Aberdeen and the wider North East. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) sets out plans for up to £20 million of capital investment by Scottish Enterprise into ETZ Ltd projects, alongside funding from ETZ Ltd and other partners, with the aim of unlocking as much as £65 million of total investment in manufacturing, innovation, and test-and-demonstration space by 2032.
The first project to benefit from the MoU is Scottish Enterprise’s £2.8 million investment into EnergyWorks, ETZ Ltd’s flagship low-carbon energy incubator and scale-up hub in Aberdeen. EnergyWorks is designed to provide flexible space, support and networks for early-stage and scaling energy-transition businesses, helping them develop technologies and services in areas such as offshore wind, hydrogen, sustainable alternative fuels and carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS).
Beyond direct capital investment, the partnership will see Scottish Enterprise and ETZ Ltd work together on attracting global investment, creating high-value jobs, improving net-zero infrastructure and strengthening Scotland’s renewable energy supply chain. Companies based at ETZ locations will have access to Scottish Enterprise specialists across key sectors, from offshore wind and hydrogen to CCUS, giving them targeted advice on international expansion, supply-chain development and funding opportunities.
The North East is highlighted as strategically important for a just transition, thanks to its highly skilled workforce, internationally recognised energy businesses and existing supply chains built up over more than 50 years in oil and gas. Scottish Enterprise and ETZ Ltd see their role as helping maintain the region’s global reputation for energy production and exports while shifting the focus towards renewables and low-carbon technologies.
