Scotland, UK

Aberdeenshire

The region has a population of 467,000 people, with just under half (223,000) being resident in Aberdeen City itself. The energy sector is a very important part of the regional economy. As well as the concentration of oil and gas sector activity in Aberdeen City itself, there are significant parts of Aberdeenshire where the energy sector plays an important role. In the north of the region, the town of Peterhead serves as both an important port associated with the oil and gas production, and also large (1.5GW) gas fired power station. Other traditionally important sectors in the region include fishing, farming and food processing while tourism is growing in importance. Growth in renewable energy in the region has been strong, particularly in medium-scale wind turbine developments. In 2011, a total of 108 MW of on-shore wind was in production with a further 3000MW agreed (Aberdeenshire Council, 2011). A significant number of jobs in the region are in the public sector. Further there is a significant and, until recently, growing number of rural-urban commuters, currently at around 34%.

Case Study project contact:
Tony Craig (