Greens pledge £600m renewables investment through carbon capture cuts

The Scottish Greens have pledged to invest £600 million in renewables in a move they said would cut bills and protect the planet.

The party said the investment in wind, wave and solar would be in part funded by scrapping millions in public funding for “unproven” carbon capture and storage technology.

Co-leaders Gillian Mackay and Ross Greer announced the manifesto commitment ahead of a visit to South Lanarkshire College where they will meet with students training in green energy skills.

In a bid to combat rising energy prices due to the war in Iran, the Greens called for the UK Government to de-link cheaper electricity prices from “extortionate” international gas prices.

Ms Mackay said: “Scotland has a huge renewables potential but we are not yet meeting it.

“Green energy is the cleanest and cheapest energy available, but the other parties are caught in a loop of arguing for more fossil fuels.

“With the right support we can lower bills, cut carbon emissions and create thousands of good, well-paid jobs that will last for years to come and put us at the forefront of a vital and growing industry.”

Ms Mackay said the planet could not afford the burning of any more fossil fuels and called for a green transition that supported oil and gas workers.

But she said that transition could not happen without the Scottish and UK governments, adding: “We have seen what happened at Grangemouth and Mossmorran when the jobs left but our Governments failed to plan for it and the communities were made to pay the price.

“It’s time for us to seize the huge opportunity we have on our doorsteps and support the green jobs of the future.

“Scotland has the talent, resources and ambition to lead, now all we need is a government who will give it their full backing.

“Keeping people locked into gas is wrecking our planet and punishing households with outrageous costs.

“Meanwhile, fossil fuel giants are raking in massive profits and laughing their way to the bank.

“By rapidly expanding clean energy and reducing our reliance on oil and gas we can start to bring down bills and put money back in people’s pockets.

“A vote for the Scottish Greens on May 7 is a vote to cut bills, tackle fuel poverty and finally end our dependence on volatile fossil fuels.”

Scottish Tory energy spokesman Douglas Lumsden described the Greens as “extremists”, who “egged on Labour and the SNP in their destruction of our oil and gas industry”.

“Renewables alone are not enough to meet our energy needs,” he said.

“It’s just common sense that to lower energy bills we need to drill the North Sea, invest in nuclear and expand renewables but we’re the only party saying this.

“The Greens’ plans would result in monster pylons and huge battery substations scarring our countryside and local communities wouldn’t get a look in.”

Scottish Labour finance spokesman Michael Marra said it was “laughable” for the Greens to push for a just transition while being against nuclear energy.

“The only way we achieve lower bills and energy security is by using all of the resources, skills and opportunities Scotland has,” he said.

“Scottish Labour has already announced plans to make heating your home cheaper through widening eligibility for the Warmer Homes Scotland grant creating a warmer homes programme, boosting the uptake of the Warm Home Discount and topping up grants for rural homeowners.

“We will also end the SNP and Greens’ ideological block on new nuclear energy.”

SNP candidate for Aberdeen Donside, Jackie Dunbar, said: “The SNP put in place a £500 million Just Transition Fund to support renewables expansion, but the single biggest barrier to renewables development in Scotland is Labour’s tax on Scotland’s energy and crippling transmission charges from Westminster.

“Only a vote for the SNP can deliver a fresh start with independence – giving us the powers to end Westminster’s waste of our energy potential and the power to lower energy bills for Scottish households and businesses.”