Put communities at the front of the queue - Alex Cole-Hamilton

Local people should feel the full benefit of renewable energy, says Alex Cole-Hamilton (Photo: William Edwards/Getty Images)

So imagine feeling like you are at the back of the queue for everything, all the time. I do my fair share of travelling around Scotland and it’s a theme I come across time and again in rural communities. They are engines of the Scottish economy, for farming, forestry, food and drink, and so much more. So when it comes to government attention and investment, why are they always stuck at the back of the queue?

This week the SNP Government announced that ferry fares will rise by 10 per cent. It’s a serious blow to households and businesses in the Northern Isles and people the length of the west coast struggling to make ends meet. But it feels doubly unfair when you consider islanders are still waiting for the new reliable vessels that they were promised years ago by the SNP.

Look beyond the ferries and you’ll see that it’s taking 30 years to make the deadly A9 safer between Perth and Inverness. There are mothers in labour travelling up to 100 miles to hospital. And the Highlands and Islands consistently record the worst fuel poverty anywhere in the United Kingdom. That’s not a fair deal. Not when you live in a part of the country that is the powerhouse for a renewables revolution that will move us to net zero and guarantee energy security.

The opportunities on their doorstep are huge but too often it is overseas companies and yards who reap the rewards while rural communities see little benefit for hosting these projects. It’s time to make a change and put communities at the forefront of the renewables revolution because otherwise there will still be households shivering in the shadow of wind turbines, unable to heat their homes. That’s not a fair deal.

It’s only right that local people feel the full benefit too. That’s why the community benefit rules need to be modernised. And I’m not talking about planters for the high street or a minor refurbishment to the village hall. I’m talking about local energy bill discount schemes, affordable housing, new GP surgeries and training to upskill local workers.

On Tuesday Angus MacDonald, the new Liberal Democrat MP for Inverness, Skye, and West Ross-shire will lead a Westminster Hall debate highlighting the need for greater financial investment in rural areas that are impacted by large-scale renewable energy infrastructure. He has been a strong advocate for fair compensation to local communities who bear the load of hosting renewable projects like windfarms and solar panels.

In 2023, research by Octopus Energy found that 87 per cent of people would support a wind turbine in their community if it reduced their bills. But the Great British Energy Bill, currently being discussed in parliament, makes no provision for community ownership or benefit from renewable projects. Angus and the Liberal Democrats want to change that.

Other countries, such as Ireland, Denmark and Germany already provide significant financial benefits to local communities through ownership stakes or local taxation on renewable projects. It’s time for us to follow suit and ensure that those who are most affected by renewable energy developments also share in the wealth they create. It’s reasonable, logical and fair.

Alex Cole-Hamilton is MSP for Edinburgh West and leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats