No matter which party wins the British general election or who the new prime minister is, the new government still need to support a ‘vibrant’ renewable energy sector – in which Scotland has the lion’s share of UK jobs and investment.
That is the key message to aspiring MPs of all parties by the Renewable UK trade association now that the general election has been approved.
Executive Director Emma Pinchbeck said: “Political parties should support a vibrant renewable energy sector if they want to be successful in Government.
“This is a sector which offers economic growth and an affordable, sustainable, domestic energy supply. And we know that renewable energy is also popular with voters – three-quarters of the public support renewables.
“There is a massive opportunity for an incoming Government to reap the benefits of the renewable energy transition. Our country can benefit from this transition in a global market now worth hundreds of billions of pounds every year.
“The companies we represent are the innovators and risk takers Britain needs. They are bringing new business models and technologies to market and driving down costs for consumers across the UK. The sector is vibrant and valuable, bringing forward cheap onshore wind, building the largest offshore wind farms in the world, and taking advantage of our world-leading marine renewables resources.”
Capitalising on natural resources and energy expertise the renewable energy sector in Scotland is already producing industrial benefits, affordable energy and clean growth in the UK economy.
See also:
Half of all UK jobs and turnover in onshore wind energy sector is in Scotland
And in a statement also supported by the UK Renewable Energy Association – Britain’s biggest such trade group – the Solar Trade Association, and the Electricity Storage Network, she added
“It is important that industries in the renewable energy sector work together in initiatives like this to make a joint case to Government demonstrating that low-carbon power is the way ahead.
“Wind and marine energy tick all the boxes set out in the Industrial Strategy. These are innovative industries, growing exponentially, bringing economic benefits to all energy consumers, as well as creating thousands of jobs and attracting billions in investment”.
Pixie Energy is an incubator and a facilitator of strategic research and project work, focusing on energy regulation, policy and markets at the local and national level. Find out more about Pixie Energy