John Ferry John Ferry

The paradox at the heart of Nicola Sturgeon’s green ‘revolution’

(Photo: Getty)

In some ways it was refreshing to see the radical left brought to heel by the realities of government. Having spent years campaigning to ‘ditch neoliberal economics for good’, this week saw the Scottish Green Party celebrate Shell and BP winning contracts to exploit Scotland’s offshore wind potential for the enrichment of their shareholders. Far from being a strike against neoliberalism, the Greens have provided a ringing endorsement of capitalism’s place in the transition away from fossil fuels.

This came on the back of the ScotWind Leasing project, which has seen the Scottish government auction off seabed plots for major offshore wind projects around the Scottish coast. In the first such leasing round in a decade, 17 projects were chosen, covering 7,000 square kilometres. The project raised £700 million in option fees for the Scottish government. BP Alternative Energy Investments is paying £85.9 million for its area off the coast of Aberdeen, while Shell New Energies is forking out £86 million for its site, also off the east coast.

The SNP and Scottish Greens are touting it as a major boost to Scotland’s net zero ambitions and a sure sign of a profitable green future to replace the oil industry. Scotland’s left — the real left — are unconvinced. As well as their unease about the involvement of big oil companies, many have pointed out that the Scottish government has failed to build the manufacturing base necessary to benefit from the move to green energy, with economic activity as well as profits set to be directed elsewhere.

The viability of Scotland’s offshore wind developments relies on a fully integrated electricity market

Trade Union GMB Scotland asked if the tens of thousands of green manufacturing jobs these developments will create will come to Scotland or the rest of the world. ‘After a decade of broken promises and political failure, that’s the only question that really matters to our members,’ said GMB.

Others questioned whether the opportunity has been undersold, and whether the Scottish government has failed to learn the lessons of the past by not insisting government take an equity stake in the developments.

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