Far north 'must get chance to benefit from £160m offshore wind pledge'
North MP Jamie Stone has said his constituency must be given the chance to benefit from Boris Johnson's pledge to invest £160 million in offshore wind energy around the UK over the next decade.
The Prime Minister today revealed plans to generate enough electricity from offshore wind to power every home in the country by 2030, creating around 2000 construction jobs and supporting up to 60,000 more.
In a written question, Mr Stone asked how much of the £160m will be spent on the coasts of Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, and what plans Mr Johnson has to tackle fuel poverty in the far north. The Liberal Democrat MP pointed to a 2018 Scottish House Condition Survey showing that 32 per cent of people in the Highlands were in fuel poverty.
“One thing the far north is not short of is wind and coastlines," Mr Stone said later. "I believe that there is space for a number of developments, similar to the Beatrice wind farm off the east coast of Caithness.
"For this reason, a portion of the Prime Minister’s £160 million must be invested in the Highlands."
He added: “Altnaharra is always – every winter – the coldest community in the whole of the UK. By definition, the north of Scotland is colder than the south. For this reason, fuel poverty is a major issue for local people who can’t afford to pay disproportionately high energy bills.
"This is why my question to the Prime Minister also refers to the suggestion that the energy created through offshore wind should be prioritised for the thousands of Highlanders who live in fuel poverty. I hope to secure a deal for the far north that ends fuel poverty for my constituents, and will work with both the Scottish and UK governments to make it happen."
Mr Johnson said the £160 million would be made available to upgrade ports and infrastructure in areas such as Teesside and Humber in northern England, as well as in Scotland and Wales, to "hugely increase" offshore wind capacity. He said it currently meets 10 per cent of the county's electricity demand.
The Prime Minister said the investment would see around 2000 construction jobs being rapidly created and would enable the sector to support up to 60,000 jobs directly and indirectly by 2030 in ports, factories and supply chains.
"Our seas hold immense potential to power our homes and communities with low-cost green energy and we are already leading the way in harnessing its strengths," Mr Johnson said.
"Now, as we build back better, we must build back greener. So we are committing to new ambitious targets and investment into wind power to accelerate our progress towards net-zero emissions by 2050.
"This sets us on our path towards a green industrial revolution which will provide tens of thousands of highly skilled jobs."
UK business and energy secretary Alok Sharma said: "The offshore wind sector is a major British success story, providing cheap, green electricity while supporting thousands of good-quality jobs.
"Powering every home in the country through offshore wind is hugely ambitious, but it’s exactly this kind of ambition which will mean we can build back greener and reach net-zero emissions by 2050."
Hugh McNeal, chief executive of the industry body RenewableUK, said: "The government has raised the ambition for offshore wind and renewables, and our industry is ready to meet the challenge. A green recovery with renewables at its heart will be good for consumers and jobs, as well as helping to meet our 2050 net-zero emissions target.
"Support for new floating wind projects will ensure the UK stays at the forefront of global innovation in renewables, and provides new opportunities in the low-carbon transition."
Alistair Phillips-Davies, chief executive officer of SSE, said: We welcome today’s announcement which will help ensure that more low-cost offshore wind can be deployed before 2030, creating green jobs and putting the UK on the right path to net zero. This complements SSE’s own plans to invest over £7.5 billion in low-carbon infrastructure over the next five years."
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