What must industry do differently to grow stakeholder confidence in energy projects?
Based on in-depth interviews with policymakers from across Westminster, Holyrood and local government, our paper shows what impactful industry engagement really looks like.
Frequent policy changes and unclear long-term direction are undermining project delivery.
Constraints like electricity grid development are obvious and immediate barriers.
Local and regional economic value is becoming a central test of legitimacy.
Watch as Aspect’s External Affairs Director Peter Smyth explains what the insight paper set out to answer – and the advice it gives to industry leaders seeking to positively influence policymakers.
Our insight paper, From Ambition to Alignment, offers a candid view of how policymakers see the next phase of Scotland’s energy transition – and the behaviours they want to see from industry leaders going forwards.
You’ll get a sharper understanding of how key decision makers view the story being described by project leaders, as well as practical guidance on what effective engagement must look like to increase confidence.
“I think a unity of purpose across the energy sector is very important... There needs to be an acceptance that everyone’s on the same journey here. We need clarity of thought in that context.”
Scottish MP
We spoke in depth with former government ministers, political party energy spokespeople, MPs, including members of the Scottish Affairs Committee, local authority leaders and senior officials involved in energy, infrastructure and economic development. They told us that while they continue to view the transition as politically necessary, delivery is under strain and industry can improve how it explains progress.
“Political and public consent are no longer peripheral variables. In a more contested, more expensive and more scrutinised delivery environment, they are core to whether projects succeed or stall.”
From Ambition to Alignment, May 2026
You’ll find guidance – based on direct insight from policymakers – to make influencing strategies more effective.
Earlier engagement: acting before project positions are fixed
Political wayfinding: working through, not around, effective channels
Effective prioritisation: how to be precise, specific and targeted
Case studies: explore real-world examples
Solution-focused: explore workable ideas, not just problems
Practical realism: how to be transparent about trade-off and impacts
Place-based: using evidence and demonstrating local economic value
Patient persistence: treating engagement as a long-term process
Explore From Ambition to Alignment for clear insight on what policymakers think about energy transition delivery – and the engagement practices that industry leaders need to adopt.
Find out what the research means for your organisation.
