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Just transition fund farce deepens as Scottish firms fight over windfarm scraps A flagship windfarm off Scotland will generate big benefits for investors based outside the country as the SNP Government's just transition plans unravel
As overseas investors enjoy the benefits of Scotland’s offshore wind power boom, the SNP Government has suffered a fresh blow to the credibility of its £500 million plan to support a just transition from oil and gas dependence.
Weeks after energy minister Gillian Martin dusted off discredited claims that the offshore wind sector would create thousands of skilled jobs, developments on a flagship windfarm scheme have left such boosterism looking increasingly desperate.
Supporters of the Inch Cape windfarm off the Angus coast claim it will be able to generate enough green energy to power half the homes in Scotland while making a major contribution to the UK economy.
Development work is expected to be completed in 2027 following more than £3.5 billion investment in the UK’s energy infrastructure. We are told this should include a significant boost for the Scottish supply chain.
Take a closer look, however, and it appears that Scottish suppliers are only in line to get the scraps from the table.
The bad news comes after a report found last week that the Just Transition Fund has created a risible number of jobs since it was launched amid fanfare in 2021.
READ MORE: Scale of SNP Government climate change failings underlined by experts
Inch Cape held an event in Montrose town hall earlier this month to highlight the opportunities for local firms to win business.
This is the kind of talk that SNP ministers love.
But the contracts for the supply of the most valuable and labour-intensive elements of the 72-turbine project were awarded to firms based overseas long ago.
Chinese businesses were engaged to supply the foundations and towers for the turbines.
Smulders of Belgium and Germany’s Siemens Energy won the contract for electrical transmission infrastructure, some of which will be produced in Wallsend, Newcastle.
Vestas of Denmark will supply the giant turbine blades for the windfarm.
Scotland does not have a suitable production facility, despite SNP Governments making lots of noise about putting........
© Herald Scotland
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