The SNP Government faces fresh criticism for its failure to create renewables jobs after experts undermined the case for tidal energy which it has championed.

The SNP Government has received another awkward reminder of the flakiness of its grandiose claims about Scotland’s renewables potential as its just transition drive goes nowhere.

The latest embarrassment came in the form of an expert study on tidal energy which suggested the costs of developing the infrastructure required would far outweigh the benefits that could be secured for bill payers.

It was released as campaigners complained the Scottish Government has failed to deliver the jobs needed to help offset the layoffs that North Sea oil and gas firms have been making.

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The report on tidal energy for the National Energy System Operator (NESO) found offshore developments could shave £120 million annually off wholesale energy prices in the UK by reducing reliance on technologies with higher running costs.

However, the report by the Arup engineering consultancy cautioned that tidal had not been deployed at scale because of the significant cost of building the infrastructure concerned.

The report found it would require around £22 billion funding to develop the networks that would be required to transport energy produced offshore to users.

At that rate it would take around 180 years for the UK to save enough on wholesale prices to recoup the £22bn investment.

The estimate is for a scenario in which investment in tidal........

© Herald Scotland