Scotland’s energy needs community ownership, not 100+ new oil and gas projects
Scottish Greens have rejected oil industry calls to approve more than 100 new North Sea projects, warning that further drilling would do nothing to cut household energy bills, calling for a community ownership focus instead.
This comes as Offshore Energies UK claimed changes to the windfall tax and approval of the controversial Rosebank and Jackdaw fields, could result in over 100 new oil and gas projects in the North Sea.
North Sea output has been falling and projections suggest that the UK's domestic supplies will meet only about a third of demand until 2050, with over 85% of the economically viable gas already extracted.
Scottish Greens spokesperson for Energy, Kristopher Leask MSP said:
“This is the same tired special pleading from an industry that has made extraordinary profits while households have struggled with soaring bills.
“Oil and gas extracted from the North Sea is sold on international markets to the highest bidder. It is simply a myth to suggest more drilling will do anything else but increase profits for mega corporations.
“Approving another 100 projects will not deliver cheaper energy at home, nor will it provide real energy security. Instead, it will lock us into decades of additional climate pollution while delaying the just transition Scotland urgently needs.
“Workers and communities across the Highlands & Islands, and the North East, deserve a secure future. That will only come through serious investment in renewable energy, not bending over backwards to handing oil giants more projects to serve their own interests.
“John Swinney could have given that certainty and security in his recent Programme for Government, but instead, he offered warm words without ambition, direction or plans for the investment Scotland desperately needs.”
Kristopher added:
“While the Scottish Government leaves the question of Scotland’s energy future unanswered, allowing the UK Government to potentially open up over a hundred new oil and gas fields in the North Sea, the Scottish Greens are offering the clarity of vision our energy sector is calling for.
“The Scottish Greens are putting forward the plan Scotland needs: diversified ownership of our energy system to put Scotland’s energy wealth in Scotland’s hands.
“Our renewable energy future should be a partnership between councils, communities, government and responsible private investors. Each has a role to play to ensure the benefits of our energy sector don’t continue to flow overwhelmingly towards multinational companies based outwith Scotland.”