Scottish ‘think and do tank’ Common Weal published a report on 8 February arguing the case for a Scottish National Energy Company (NEC).
The report Powering Our Ambitions: The Role of Scotland’s National Energy Company and the Case for a Scottish Energy Development Agency, written by the Common Weal Energy Working Group, also argues the case for a Scottish Energy Development Agency (SEDA), which would allow Scotland to mirror the successful approach of the Danish Energy Agency.
It is argued that the NEC cannot just be a publicly owned energy supplier, but must also play an active part in installing, developing and delivering new energy supply in the form of renewable energy in Scotland.
Meanwhile, the SEDA would coordinate the distribution of funding related to energy research and development, as well as setting the strategic planning of these goals. On a local scale, the SEDA could also work with local authorities, health boards, housing associations and other agencies to identify fuel poor and vulnerable households.