Turn wasted energy into competitive advantage
Too much power produced in this country is going to waste, but it doesn’t have to be that way, writes David Wildash
In the last two years, millions of pounds have been spent on wasted energy across the UK through the process of ‘curtailment’, with the lion’s share spent by Scottish wind farms. But behind the stark data, is an opportunity for Scotland to become one of Europe’s most cost-competitive AI destinations with the introduction of ‘low-cost renewable power zones’.
While most discussions around renewable energy focus on generation and storage, the financial and economic consequences of curtailment are often overlooked. Every megawatt-hour of energy that is produced but not used represents both a wasted environmental opportunity and a tangible economic loss. For a country like Scotland, rich in wind resources but constrained by transmission network bottlenecks feeding power south of the border, the scale of this wasted potential is staggering.
A Montel Energy report revealed almost half of the potential energy output from wind in the North of Scotland was curtailed in the first six months of 2025 due to bottlenecks and restrictions in the network. The four million megawatt hours that could have been produced during this period “could have powered all Scottish homes”.
The report, which used NESO’s balancing and constraint management datasets, highlighted the sheer costs involved in this wasted energy. In the first half of 2025, the region of northern Scotland had about £116 million in payments to wind farms for being curtailed.
The scale of this expenditure becomes even more striking when viewed through a national lens. For the full year 2024, the think-tank Renewable Energy Foundation reports that UK consumers paid more than £393 million in direct costs for the curtailment of ~8.3 TWh of wind energy, with “more than 98%” of that being paid to Scottish wind farms. In 2024, discarded wind energy increased by 91%.
These figures underline that the country is producing some of the cleanest, cheapest energy in Europe, yet network limitations and curtailment policies mean a large portion of this resource goes unused.
Scotland has an opportunity to leverage it strategically. Imagine if the energy currently being curtailed in Scotland was instead used to power something of enormous economic value: advanced technology, artificial intelligence research, and data-intensive industries.
By designating ‘low-cost renewable power zones’ in areas with high levels of curtailment, Scotland could attract private investment from global tech companies seeking competitive energy costs. These zones would essentially turn wasted energy into a productive asset, with the potential to generate high-value jobs in rural and northern communities. This is why we’re proposing a £3.9 billion AI energy campus on the former Ravenscraig steelworks site, which could bring more than 2000 jobs to the area. This is one of several sites in Apatura’s Scottish portfolio that could collectively add more than 2% to national GDP if developed as part of a connected, renewable-powered data infrastructure network.
The economic benefits extend beyond direct employment. Companies establishing operations in these zones would invest in local infrastructure, for example fibre connectivity, transport, and research facilities. Universities and schools could partner with businesses, providing a pipeline of skilled graduates. Communities could be revitalised as local economies diversify, moving beyond traditional industries to become hubs of innovation and technology.
As we navigate the energy transition in the path to net zero, harnessing previously curtailed energy would supercharge progress to decarbonise the national energy network. By using energy that would otherwise be wasted, Scotland could further reduce the UK’s reliance on fossil-fuel backup generation, lowering carbon emissions while simultaneously promoting economic development.
Globally, regions with cheap renewable energy have successfully attracted technology and manufacturing hubs. By leveraging curtailed wind energy in this way, Scotland could establish a similar model, positioning itself as a leading European destination for energy-intensive industries and AI research.
Curtailment itself is not the issue, but finding solutions that eradicate wasted energy and associated costs is. Therein lies the powerful opportunity for Scotland. By using what we waste, Scotland can become Europe’s most cost-competitive AI destination.
The future of Scottish energy should not be defined solely by how much is generated, but by how effectively it is deployed. Every megawatt-hour that is currently curtailed represents potential jobs, innovation, and economic regeneration. Turning this wasted energy into a competitive advantage is a chance to redefine Scotland’s role in the green economy, making it not only a leader in renewable generation but a magnet for high-value, technology-driven investment.
David Wildash is Chief Strategy Officer at Apatura