In The National this morning I argue that Scotland is the potential new renewable powerhouse of Europe, but that:
The Scottish renewable sector can only thrive and deliver at its best when the motivation for developing this industry, the management of it and the method of its operation can be aligned. That will only be possible in an independent Scotland.
Scotland can be an energy powerhouse, but not within the Union. Scotland has to be independent to lead the way in renewable energy.
The National does not have a paywall this week. You can read the full article here.
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Much to agree with.
The current German government is proposing to nationalise the 4 electrical transmission operators (TSOs) that it has. Rationale: too slow (& too expensive – 6 – 7% return on assets – for a monopoly). Scotland could to well to reflect on this (action on the matter would only be possible once independence is achieved).
In terms of generation – there is exactly nothing to stop Scotland repeating Denmark’s Orsted experiment: a state owned generator (50.1%) that can raise its own funds (& by all accounts the debts do not count towards the Lisbon criteria on national debts).
Most renewables at most scales (local through to off-shore wind) have a business case – right now. But you would never think that, given the close to zero activity at local levels (I discount tokenistic stuff – of which there is plenty).
The puzzle is that to-date it has been non-Scottish companies (exception SSE) that have mostly benefited from renewable build-out. Also, although having the largest off-shore wind resource in Europe – the country has relatively little in the way of relevant manufacturing. When Scotland is independent, there will be a window of opportunity (before joining the EU) when it can force suppliers to on-shore manufacturing into Scotland – Vestas, Siemens-Gamesa and GE (wind turbine manufacturers) are, at each others throats to win contracts – not hard to leverage this. Ditto for cabling, HVDC, electrolysers etc etc. Why accept crumbs when you can have the cake – and eat it.
Of course this should be viewed as just the start. The trajectory for steel production is direct reduction using hydrogen. Zero reason why this could not happen in Scotland (which could be a centre for H2 production) – but for that one would need a policy fit for purpose and for that you would need a political body (and a civil service) with technical understanding. At the moment neither exists.
I’ll leave readers with this thought: ever wondered why China is so successful at an industrial level?:
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/mar/02/china-leading-us-in-technology-race-in-all-but-a-few-fields-thinktank-finds
& and extract from report:
“The elevation of science and technology to the very top of the list of national priorities for the PRC’s leadership is reflected in the number of officials with technical expertise who were elected to the apex of the CCP’s ranks during the 20th, and latest, National People’s Congress in 2022. The CCP Central Committee went from including fewer than 20 technocrats in 2017 to include almost 40 in 2022, while the Politburo went from two to a total of eight (out of 24 members).”
Instead of farting around with trivial problems and irrelevancies, Scottish politicians should bend their minds to energy matters and how to gain control over them & thus how to ensure that Scottish citizens profit from them. For that you need politicians that have some engineering training – as far as I can see – there are none – North or south of the border -one reason (amongst many) why the Uk is going down the can.
Mike parr says: “Instead of farting around with trivial problems and irrelevancies, Scottish politicians should bend their minds to energy matters and how to gain control over them & thus how to ensure that Scottish citizens profit from them. For that you need politicians that have some engineering training – as far as I can see – there are none”
FYI
Lorna Slater MSP is Minister for Green Skills, Circular Economy and Biodiversity.
She was an engineer in the renewables industry who worked her way up to become a project manager, overseeing marine renewable energy projects including the construction of advanced floating tidal turbines.
Mr Colkett, I stand corrected – thank you.
So that’s one. Good. How to get more?
I agree. I wrote a comment in another thread pointing out that the only commercial, business and industrial opportunities that survive to serve Scotland for the long term are those that are nailed down, or literally irremovable by the UK Government or predatory (usually City) capital: oil (the British State even attempted to move that one, by literally moving the established borders, and even creating a non-identifiable UK jursidiction), renewables (wind, tide), whisky, fish and other distinctive quality foodstuffs (beef etc.), tourism, our universities. I do not pretend to provide a complete list.
If we then look at the vast range of industries Scotland has created, all of them have, sooner or later, been spirited off, and end absorbed typically in some London-based Corporation. The most spectacular example, however was in 1986, by the legislation surrounding Big Bang, which destroyed the complex cross-shareholdings or ‘understandings’ (inside and outside Government) in Banking, that guaranteed the end of the separate, high standards Scottish banking industry, for the crude, London predatory ‘market’. London rules prevailed.
By 2008 everyone should have realised that London is nothing but a swamp; but we still haven’t learned that lesson. Bernard de Mandeville figured it all out by 1714 (Fable of the Bees), but was dazzled by just how much gold and wealth could be produced out of a sewer, if you had no standards at all.
This what a lot of people South of the border do not understand about Scotland, it’s latent
potential for development in its economy.
But then they would wouldn’t they as they’ve been living with austerity since the mid 1950’s from what I can see?
Hear, hear! If Scotland was independent now we wouldn’t be subjected to the insane price we are currently paying. With the Hydro Power, wind and hopefully tidal and wave energy we can look to a much more sustainable future. AS you say Richard it is the future we should be looking to not for the next dodgy quick buck. My electric bill at work last December was just over £700, this year £2280 with 15% less usage thanks to the totally “fixed market”. I thought those wonderful market forces would ensure everything was just brilliant.
We need to acting now for coming generations not stuffing the purses of the robber barons.
A good analysis. But the potential has to be realised in a manner that benefits all in Scotland. Not a realisation that is dedicated to increasing multinational corporate profits at the expense of public benefit. Ash Regan is the only SNP leadership candidate who has stated she is going to put energy at the forefront of her administration. Added to her position on currency as reported by you yesterday she is the only candidate with concrete proposals to inspire the drive for independence. However just as she has help from Dr Rideout on currency she needs help on fleshing the bones on energy. A lot of work has been done by Commonweal on this. They might be a port of call. I believe energy is the key and is a subject the public can identify with particularly just now. Get it out there and inform the public. Basic preparations should be the resurrection of the National Energy company, plans for which were ditched by Nicola Sturgeon for reasons not entirely consistent or coherent.
As a former Commonweal employee I am sure she is reaching out to them
One of the suggested videos from weownit today. Not just about Scotland, but it would be good if everyone would watch it on youtube and try to understand.
Scotland could lead and the rest of the UK could follow, before we all freeze to death?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tVNQElN6VY8
I have just done a video on this issue for The National in Scotland.
It’s probably not a good idea for those of us who don’t live in Scotland to express any opinion one way or another on any issue to do with Scottish independence.
Sure, Scotland, and the UK itself in theory, can be and do all kinds of things with the right political economic policies. But, is that likely? I’d be doubtful.
However I could be wrong, and it would be down to the Scottish people themselves to do that. The only way to not be wrong is for the rest of us to say nothing at all. We won’t have to live with the consequences either way.
Scotland leaving the Union has massive consequences
Wh6 can’t you have an opinion?
I presume, NeilW, that you don’t have a say on Northern Ireland either?
@JenW,
It’s the same principle with Northern Ireland – except the question there is one on the unity of Ireland as a whole rather than independence for part of it. It’s better to leave the decision to the people who live there themselves. Sensibly, the main UK parties don’t directly involve themselves in Irish politics because they would have to have a policy on the existence or otherwise of the border. By doing that they would be defining themselves as a Unionist or Nationalist party.
@ Richard,
It’s fine to have an opinion on the question of Scottish independence! Mine is that it is up to the people of Scotland to decide and that the rest of us should keep out of it!
This is not to say that we can’t offer economic advice on the use of currencies and general economic policy, should there be a decision for independence. However, I’d suggest your comments go much further than this.
NeilW, it would be good if they could be left to their own devices. If that was the case both Northern Ireland and Scotland would still be having the best of both worlds, as Sunak put it, as far as Brexit was concerned. They would still both be members of the EU and have UK membership.