Clean power by 2030 will secure energy independence

The Labour Government has approved multiple solar energy farms, says Ian Murray (Picture: Getty Images)

We need a secure and affordable energy supply right here in our own country, not dependence on global energy markets that are vulnerable to price shocks.

It’s for this reason that the Labour Government has set the bold target of achieving clean power by 2030, in part by delivering Great British Energy, which will be owned by the people and headquartered in Scotland.

The Labour Government said we would waste no time setting up Great British Energy – and we meant it. It was one of the first bills to come before the new parliament. Funded by £8.3 billion over the course of this parliament, it will be owned by us, the people, and will invest in clean power projects across the country. It will be headquartered in Aberdeen, building on the existing skills and experience in the energy sector in the north-east of Scotland.

As well as securing energy independence, GB Energy will help us win the race for the jobs of the future, driving new industries and investments around the country. So too will it protect households across Scotland from energy price shocks. And, of course, it will reduce our reliance on fossil fuels, bringing down emissions and protecting the environment.

In a speech last week, Anas Sarwar confirmed that a Scottish Government with him as First Minister would use all the powers of government to make sure that every corner of Scotland benefits from the opportunities that the green transition holds. While the north-east has the expertise and reputation for excellence in energy production and development, all of Scotland has the potential to become a hub for clean energy, if we have a Scottish Labour government that brings business, government, universities and workers together.

Scotland has a unique opportunity to benefit from the transition to green energy, but if we want to make the most of it, we must act now. That’s why we desperately need a change of government in Holyrood. The SNP have had a hands-off attitude to driving green growth. This needs to change.

GB Energy is not the only component of the plan for clean energy by 2030. Since coming into office last summer, we have already taken a range of other actions to help us reach this goal, including scrapping the ban on onshore wind development, approving multiple solar farms and signing a deal with the Crown Estate that will build more offshore wind and could leverage up to £60bn in investment.

Clean power by 2030 is a bold target, and if we are to achieve it then government must work with the energy sector, workers and investors. But if we can get there, we will protect our energy security, secure good jobs and reduce our reliance on the fossil fuels that are doing so much damage to the natural environment.

Ian Murray is MP for Edinburgh South and Secretary of State for Scotland