ENERGY: GREEN MSP WELCOMES EXPERT REPORT ON SINGLE MARKET
Green Yes, the Scottish Green Party's campaign for a Yes vote in the independence referendum, is welcoming an expert report recommending that an independent Scotland remain part of the GB-wide market for electricity and gas.
A Green Yes briefing on jobs points out that more than 11,000 people are already employed in the renewables industry and most firms are expecting to grow. Scotland has the offshore engineering skills to make marine renewables a success and create thousands more jobs in construction, grid development and research.
Alison Johnstone, Green MSP for Lothian and a member of Holyrood's economy and energy committee, said:
"Energy is an issue that all countries are facing up to, and with our renewables potential Scotland has a chance to generate not just what we need but also energy for export to enable our neighbours to meet their low carbon targets. Encouraging the trading of energy not just within these islands but across the North Sea makes sense, and I see a Scottish Parliament with responsibility for energy policy much more likely to prioritise these issues.
"By contrast Westminster is locking us in to new nuclear with its massive costs and toxic legacy, and a dash for fracked gas that risks our local environment and our carbon budget. What today's report from the Expert Commission on Energy Regulation underlines is that it's sensible to co-operate on such a crucial issue but it's vital that Scotland gets to decide the direction it wants to go in."
Expert Commission on Energy Regulation
Jobs-rich, fair and flourishing - An Economy for All (Green Yes briefing)
Energy experts call for Scotland to have power to escape nuclear (Sunday Herald)