Scottish Labour has promised a “civic energy” future in which regional initiatives produce green electricity and heat for local use.
The party manifesto for next week’s Holyrood election targets 50% of the country’s total energy use from renewables by 2030 with 100,000 jobs in the sector.
Labour said it will pursue new ownership models – community, co-operative, and public — to both generate and supply energy.
“We will support businesses and communities in islands and rural areas, in towns and cities, including those people currently offgrid, to reduce their energy demand, stimulating the development of commercially viable energy production,” said Labour.
Labour will support carbon capture and storage, ensure compliance with Scotland’s climate change act and will ban fracking. There was no specific mention of wind, hydro or other renewable technologies.
It said: “Within a generation we will find the ways to green the heating of our homes and offices, to green our transport systems, both private and public, and support manufacturing to a green transition. We will move ahead with the low-carbon investment and support needed to develop new skills, new jobs and green workplaces,with the public sector taking the lead.”
Image: Holyrood
