The final turbine was installed at the Viking Energy windfarm in August 2023.<\/p>\n
According to the SNP’s new energy policy for independence, It’s Scotland’s Energy, Scotland will have its own breakaway electricity market, separate from the UK.<\/p>\n
Distance-to-demand \u201cgrid connection charges\u201d will end, less gas power will be used, and our electricity prices will fall by a third\u201d due to “low cost renewables”.<\/p>\n
Scottish government policies are credited with the “success of Scottish renewables”:<\/p>\n
\u2022 Installed renewable capacity in 2025 of 17.7GW (3.5 times Scotland\u2019s winter peak demand).<\/p>\n
\u2022 1,114 renewable energy projects (June 2025) with an estimated capacity of 76.5 GW in the planning pipeline.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Combining installed and planned projects gives a total of 94.2GW, 19 times Scotland\u2019s winter peak demand, almost double that of the entire UK<\/p>\n
Wonderful. What could possibly go wrong?<\/p>\n
The price stated for offshore wind is \u00a344\/MWh (4.4p\/kWh unit). However, the UK government\u2019s latest offshore wind contract price cap is \u00a3113\/MWh (11.3p\/kWh unit).<\/p>\n
Why is the UK government price higher?<\/p>\n
The Department of Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) recently admitted over-estimating its offshore wind output projections by 20 per cent, and capital\/operational costs are also soaring.<\/p>\n
In 2023, the UK offshore wind auction (price cap \u00a344\/MWh) received no bids. Zippo.<\/p>\n
The BBC reported: \u201cIndustry insiders told the BBC that the \u00a344 per megawatt hour price floor (sic) set for the latest auction failed to take account of higher costs.\u201d<\/p>\n
Energy analysts, McKinsey & Co, noted: “…. a relatively high …. (rate) …. of project cancellations following communicated cost increases of between 40 and 60 percent.”<\/p>\n
And from Energy UK: “\u00d8rsted noted that the continued increase of supply chain costs, higher interest rates, and risks to delivery of its Hornsea Four project were reasons for ….(dropping) …. the projects.”<\/p>\n
Alas, it seems offshore wind is not viable at \u00a344\/MWh, or anything like it. To the contract price, add the cost of the long, otherwise unnecessary, transmission lines and associated energy losses; pumped storage and batteries; gas and\/or imported nuclear power to maintain grid stability and security of supply; plus other policy costs paid for by energy companies – eg, home insulation, heat pumps, community benefit that will now be paid for by Scottish consumers.<\/p>\n
And to crown it all, grid connection charges will still be payable at the border, for exports.<\/p>\n
Will the UK government force English and Welsh consumers to fund renewable contracts for 19 times our winter peak demand, when existing contracts expire? To subsidise a foreign (EU?) country’s renewables to compete with their own while reducing prices by a third? As they say, \u201cpigs might fly\u201d.<\/p>\n
The policy will need to be withdrawn and revised to take account of these grave errors.<\/p>\n