An ideological pursuit of a carbon-free world has left Scotland exposed to energy instability, says STRUAN STEVENSON
The last Scottish Government’s approach to public spending drifted into a realm where ideology trumped pragmatism, and where virtue-signalling eclipsed value for money. Nowhere did this appear more starkly than in its fixation with renewable energy and the pursuit of “net zero” at any cost.
What ought to have been a balanced, carefully managed transition has instead become a reckless gamble with Scotland’s economic stability, energy security, and industrial future.
Scotland sits atop vast reserves of oil and gas in the North Sea, resources that have sustained communities, funded public services, and underpinned national prosperity for decades.
Yet the SNP administration seemed determined to turn its back on this inheritance.
The drive to curtail exploration and accelerate the wind-down of domestic production carries consequences that stretch far beyond political posturing.
As output declines, demand remains. The result is an increased reliance on imported oil and gas, often shipped across long distances.
At the same time, the Scottish Government pressed ahead with a massive expansion of renewable infrastructure, particularly onshore and offshore wind.
Wind power has a role to play in a diversified energy mix, yet the scale and speed of deployment raise serious questions.
Turbines rise across landscapes and seascapes, altering vistas and placing pressure on fragile ecosystems.
More troubling still lies the provenance of the infrastructure itself. A lot of the steel used in turbine construction originates from China, where coal-fired power stations dominate industrial production. Each imported component carries with it a hidden carbon cost, exported on paper yet real in atmospheric impact.
The result resembles a shell game.
Emissions linked to manufacturing shift overseas, allowing domestic figures to appear cleaner, while the planet absorbs the cumulative burden.
Wind energy alone won’t secure energy supplies
Energy policy grows even more incoherent when nuclear power enters the discussion. Existing nuclear stations approach the end of their operational lives, yet clear plans for replacement remain conspicuously absent.
Nuclear energy provides reliable, low-carbon baseload power, precisely the kind required to stabilise a grid increasingly dependent on intermittent sources such as wind. A serious government would recognise this and act accordingly.
Instead, ideological resistance prevails, leaving a looming gap in generation capacity that renewables alone struggle to fill.
Public spending choices reflect the same pattern of misplaced priorities and flawed execution. The ferries debacle stands as a case study in governmental incompetence. Contracts awarded, budgets exceeded, deadlines missed, with an entire procurement process plagued by mismanagement.
Island communities, reliant on reliable transport links, endure disruption and uncertainty while costs spiral. Shipyards face confusion, taxpayers foot the bill, and ministers offer little in the way of accountability.
This saga carries broader significance. It reveals a culture within government that places political optics above operational delivery.
Grand announcements generate headlines, while detailed planning receives scant attention. Ambitious targets emerge, yet the mechanisms required to achieve them in a coherent and economically sound manner remain elusive.
Scotland deserves better than a strategy driven by slogans. A credible path forward would embrace a balanced energy mix, recognising the continued role of domestic oil and gas during the transition to lower-carbon alternatives.
It would invest in renewables where they make sense, while addressing supply chain emissions and supporting domestic manufacturing capacity. It would acknowledge the importance of nuclear power in ensuring stability and reliability.
Above all, it would ground decision-making in evidence rather than ideology. Fiscal responsibility demands scrutiny of every pound spent. Vast sums directed towards projects that deliver limited return, whether in energy infrastructure or ferry construction, represent a disservice to taxpayers.
Resources diverted into ill-conceived ventures could instead support education, healthcare, and economic development across Scotland.
The current trajectory risks leaving Scotland poorer, more dependent, and less secure.
An energy-rich nation should never find itself importing fuel at higher cost and greater environmental impact while its own resources remain idle.
A government entrusted with public funds should never preside over repeated failures in basic service delivery.
This approach sends a chilling signal to industry.
Businesses require certainty, competitiveness, and a stable policy framework. Instead, they face rising energy costs, unclear long-term planning, and a government willing to sacrifice economic realities on the altar of political messaging.
Investment flows towards jurisdictions offering clarity and confidence. Scotland, under this strategy, offers neither.
The result: missed opportunities, stalled growth, and an erosion of the very economic foundations upon which prosperity depends.
Struan Stevenson is CEO of pro-union group Scottish Business UK
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