FIRST Minister Alex Salmond sees energy as an ace in an independent
Scotland’s pack.
Enviable renewable energy resources, among the best in Europe, could be at
the heart of a world-beating new industry, he argues. The No campaign does
not dispute their worth but argues Scottish renewables will only achieve
their full potential as part of a UK-wide energy market.
Q Would the lights go out in an independent Scotland?
A No. Scotland produces more electricity than it needs almost all of the
time. Over the past three years, power has been imported from England on
162 days. On 10 occasions power had to be imported continuously throughout
the day to keep the lights on. The rest of the time, Scotland has exported
power south.
Q So nothing would change?
A Here’s where the two sides disagree. The Scottish Government says an
independent Scotland and the rest of the UK would be best served by
maintaining Britain’s existing single market in electricity (and gas). It
cites international examples of cross-border markets – Ireland, Iberia and
Scandinavia – to show it could happen. The UK Government insists the
British energy market “could not continue in its current form”.
Q Who is right?
A As with other questions, the answer would ultimately depend on
negotiations between the two countries following a Yes vote. The Scottish
Government claims that the rest of the UK would need to buy Scotland’s
green energy to help meet environmental obligations. The UK Government says
it has plenty of other options – French nuclear power, for example – and
would only import Scottish renewables “on a commercial basis,” ie. if it
was cost-effective.
Q Could an independent Scotland continue to support renewable energy enough
for the industry to expand as planned?
A Renewables are on track to meet the Scottish Government’s target to
producing the equivalent of the country’s total energy needs by 2020. Last
year, green power equated to a record 46% of the country’s energy demand.
However, the industry is growing thanks to subsidies paid by consumers
across the UK – a third of all the subsidies go to projects in Scotland.
The Scottish Government says this should continue after independence. The
UK Government says it would not. A recent European Court ruling made clear
the UK would not be obliged to subsidise Scottish renewables if the two
countries were to split.
Q What would happen to electricity bills in an independent Scotland?
A The UK Government says average bills would rise by up to £189 if an
independent Scotland continued to develop its renewable energy industry as
planned without support from UK consumers. The Scottish Government has
promised to save consumers £70, on average, by removing energy efficiency
and fuel poverty levies from bills, though the pledge has raised questions
about possible tax rises to cover the shortfall.
Q Apart from wind farms, what would power an independent Scotland?
A In the long run, this is a much bigger question than the impact of
independence on bills. Scotland’s two nuclear plants are expected to close
in 2023 and Longannet coal-fired power station not long after. Between them
they provide most of the “baseload,” or constantly available, power which
is critical when the wind isn’t blowing. Time is running out, warn experts,
to build replacements. With the SNP opposed to new nuclear or coal power,
it could leave Scotland burning natural gas extracted off the English coast.
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