Westminster Repeatedly Failing the Sector in Scotland
The UK government has been challenged to hand Holyrood control over energy, so that the industry can receive the support it needs to reap the opportunities of the Just Transition.
Ahead of the All-Energy summit in Glasgow today, Wednesday 10th May, the SNP highlighted six times the broken Westminster system has failed Scotland’s vital energy sector.
The list of Westminster’s biggest failures for the industry includes:
- Failing to include the Acorn project in track 1 of carbon capture funding.
- Failing to guarantee Acorn will be part of track 2 funding, heaping further uncertainty on the industry.
- Dropping a £1 billion grant to develop carbon capture technology.
- Failing to match the Scottish Government’s £500m Just Transition Fund.
- Failing to tackle sky-high transmission charges.
- Prioritising nuclear over Scotland’s vast renewable energy resources.
First Minister Humza Yousaf then spoke at the Glasgow conference, announcing £7 million Hydrogen Innovation Scheme funding to drive forward the production, storage and distribution of renewable hydrogen. The investment will support 32 projects across Scotland.
But the First Minister also warned that the UK Government risked “throwing away the transformational green opportunities available to Scotland” unless it pursues more ambitious policies. He called on the UK Government to be a “willing partner” by committing to a raft of measures which would help drive investment.
These include:
- Addressing the flaws in the current transmission network charging system
- Announcing a timetable for the Acorn Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage scheme
- At least matching the Scottish Government’s £500m Just Transition Fund
I welcome the First Minister’s announcement of millions of pounds more funding to help unleash Scotland’s enormous green hydrogen potential.
GRAEME
But he is also right to highlight how Westminster has been failing Scotland’s energy sector for decades, leaving the people of Scotland paying the price despite living in such an energy-rich nation.
The industry has been treated as a cash cow by Tory and Labour governments alike, with wealth frittered away when it should have been reinvested back into our communities.
If Westminster is not prepared to step up and provide the proper support our energy sector needs then the relevant powers should be devolved to Holyrood, though only independence can ensure Scotland’s energy potential is harnessed and used for the benefit of its people.
