EmPowering Shetland - Blog Post

Building Prosperity Through Partnership and Local Action

Shetland is entering a new era of development. With a declining oil and gas sector, growth of renewable energy projects offshore and onshore, a new and growing space sector, and projected growth in the aquaculture sector; our priority is clear: to ensure that we maximise the possible benefits flowing directly to our islands, our communities, and our local supply chain.

The Regional Transformational Opportunities (RTOs) research commissioned by Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) outlines a bold and unprecedented economic future for Shetland and the wider Highlands and Islands region.

Over the coming months, system mapping will help us better understand what’s happening now and where the gaps are. We’ll also be putting in place a monitoring and evaluation approach to help track progress and keep learning as we go – drawing on tools used in the Anchor Project. The emphasis will be on building confidence across the workforce and creating space for open, honest dialogue.

Key Findings for Shetland from 2025-2040:

• £11.17 billion in planned investment over the next 15 years.
• More than 1,100 jobs could be supported through these developments.
• Shetland is described as “punching above its weight”, indicating its outsized contribution relative to its size—with 5% of the highlands and islands population and 11% of the project value.

Through EmPowering Shetland, we’re working with partners from across the islands—including Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Shetland Islands Council, UHI Shetland, Lerwick Port Authority, and Norn—to champion local expertise and capacity.

We know that Shetland’s unique strengths make it a natural home for a wide range of sectors including renewable and green energy, space, and also the aquaculture industry. But for these opportunities to truly matter, it’s essential that local businesses and workers are at the forefront—growing skills, securing contracts, and building prosperity here in Shetland.

EmPowering Shetland is about active engagement with developers, influencing plans from the earliest stages, and ensuring that our islands maximise the share of benefits wherever possible. By working together, we’re building a foundation for community wealth, environmental stewardship, and long-term wellbeing—always putting Shetland’s people and supply chain first.

This initiative is not about promoting any single technology, sector, or project. It’s about making sure Shetland’s voice is strong, our engagement is meaningful, and our local supply chain is empowered to thrive as opportunities emerge.

EmPowering Shetland sits alongside other key Improvement Projects being taken forward through the Shetland Partnership – all aligned with the community planning priorities set out in the Local Outcomes Improvement Plan. These include:

• Compassionate Shetland: embedding kindness and mental wellbeing into communities
• Person Centred Delivery: reforming how support systems work for people
• Climate Conscious Shetland: addressing climate change through local action and sustainability

Together, these projects are helping to put the Shetland Partnership’s vision into practice — building a more inclusive, connected, resilient, and future-focused Shetland where services follow people, not the other way around.  More information on these Improvement Projects is available here.