New Scottish Energy Strategy has positives but is silent on key issues says Prospect

The Scottish Energy Strategy published by the Scottish Government this week, contains some positives steps, but has little to say on the skills issues facing the energy sector, which is disappointing according to Prospect

“The document was only published yesterday” said Prospect National Secretary for Scotland Richard Hardy ” so we are still working through all of the detail. It’s really good to see that the Strategy commits the Scottish Government to support continued research into energy efficiency and both new and existing technologies, it’s vital for the economy however that this research leads to UK based jobs”

“Prospect has long supported carbon capture and storage (CCS) and so we very much welcome the Strategy’s commitment to ongoing work and preservation of critical ccs infrastructure” Hardy continued “and as always we welcome the continued approach by the Scottish Government to wide stakeholder engagement, and look forward to engaging with the Government on the Strategy as it evolves”

Prospect is however disappointed that the Scottish Government has confirmed it’s opposition to no new nuclear power plants in the Scottish energy mix, despite significant advances in reactor and power plant technology, and the lack of any real discussion within the Strategy about developing skills for the future, or addressing current skills shortages is unhelpful

“Clearly Prospect would have liked to have seen a more pragmatic approach to nuclear in respect of a balanced energy mix for Scotland” concluded Hardy “and the lack of any real debate on the serious skills issues facing the energy sector will be something we will want to take forward with Ministers in the new year”