Unionists in a Spin: ALBA research Shows that Scotland IS Global Leader in Offshore Wind

Nearly HALF of Europe’s offshore wind capacity set to be delivered by Scotland based on current projected installation capacity. 

Scotland is on course to be Europe’s “Offshore Wind Powerhouse” according to research compiled by ALBA Party. 

Unionist Politicians have been in a spin this week in attempts to talk down Scotland’s Offshore wind potential. Over the past decade it has been thought that Scotland has about 25% of the Offshore Wind Potential for all of Europe. However, this week Unionist Think Tanks and politicians have been attempting to undermine the potential Scotland has. The Scottish Government has also said that there is a need to update the statistics that have widely been used. 

This has prompted ALBA Party to undertake an initial research exercise to counter the attempts by Unionist Parties to “Talk down Scotland’s enviable renewable potential and in doing so risk putting off inward investment into Scotland.” 

ALBA have revealed that whilst Labour’s Ian Murray MP and the Lib Dem’s Alex Cole Hamilton MSP have been busy trying to undermine claims that Scotland’s offshore wind potential amounts to 25% of all of Europe’s, Scotland is actually on course to deliver a whopping 46% of Europe’s actual offshore grid supply by 2035 based on an EU publication which sets out the projected installation capacity of the EU by 2050.

Further, ALBA have revealed that Scotland’s target, which is on course, of delivering 42GW through offshore wind energy by 2035 will amount to over 55% of the entire offshore grid potential available in the Mediterranean Basin as revealed in a report issued by the European Commission. 

In the same report, the European Commission states: 

"The North Sea has a high and widespread natural potential for offshore wind energy thanks to shallow waters and localised potential for wave and tidal energy. The North Sea is currently the world’s leading region for deployed capacity and expertise in offshore wind.” 

The report also shows that by 2035 Scotland is on course to meet between 10%-14% of European Offshore Potential identified that can be delivered by 2050, something ALBA say shows that with Scotland’s resources in Scotland’s hands Scotland can be the powerhouse of not just European, but Global Offshore Wind Energy Production. 

ALBA Party Depute Leader Kenny MacAskill MP says that the early indication of Unionist attempts to undermine and down play the potential of Scotland’s vast offshore renewable bounty is akin to the suppression of the McCrone Report which was concealed by the UK Government to prevent Scots from finding out the true extent of Scotland’s vast North Sea Oil and Gas potential. 

MacAskill says that ALBA’s small policy team have been able to debunk unionist claims fairly quickly and his party will release a fuller paper on Scotland’s renewable potential and how this can lower energy bills for Scots with independence in due course. 

Commenting ALBA Party Depute Leader Kenny MacAskill MP said: 

“Scotland has an abundance of natural resources. In the 1970s Westminster attempted to conceal the vast bounty of the North Sea so that our Oil & Gas Wealth could be plundered whilst the likes of Norway was using their Oil Bonus to build a Sovereign Wealth Fund now worth over $1 Trillion. 

“Similarly we are now seeing attempts by unionist parties to downplay Scotland’s natural resources so that they don’t need to be held to account and answer as to why in Scotland we have the absurdity of fuel poor Scots living in energy rich Scotland. 

“However, they can’t hide from the facts. The European Commission recognises our offshore potential and states we are a global leader. 

“Whilst Unionists get themselves in a spin to talk down Scotland the reality is we are already on course to turning our renewables potential into reality. The question that the people of Scotland need to answer now, and we already have warning signs from the cheap sell off of Scotwind and the cabling of Scottish renewables directly to England, are we willing to sit back and allow our renewables bounty be wasted in the same way Westminster squandered our oil wealth? Enough is enough. It’s time for independence.”