SNP’s electric dream will need more wind farms across country

SCOTLAND will need to generate nearly a third more electricity to power Nicola Sturgeon’s electric car revolution – with a surge in wind turbines, an energy giant warned yesterday.

Scottish Power said the shift to electric cars and a move to electric heating will trigger a surge in demand for power.

The Scottish Government has pledged to impose a ban on sales of new diesel and petrol vehicles by 2032 – eight years before the UK-wide target of 2040.

Fears have been raised that the move could cost taxpayers billions of pounds in infrastructure costs, and yesterday Scottish Power warned of the enormous practical difficulties of making the switch.

The firm also said a huge investment in infrastructure would be needed and added that increasing the number of onshore wind farms would be key to powering the move.

Chief executive Keith Anderson raised concerns that drivers could move to electric cars more quickly than ministers anticipate – particularly if they become as cheap as petrol and diesel vehicles.

Some experts believe this could happen between 2022 and 2025.

Mr Anderson said Scotland and the rest of the UK would need to generate up to 30 per cent more electricity to cope with the increase in demand.

He added: ‘The worst position for this country to be in is that we get huge enthusiasm, people rushing out to buy electric cars because the price has come down, and then we can’t allow people to plug them in because we haven’t invested in the infrastructure.

‘So one of the things we’re looking at now is what happens to the distribution system.’

Mr Anderson also said more energy from renewable sources such as wind farms would be needed as more households move to electric heating as they ditch gas and oil-fired boilers.

He said: ‘What we’re saying to the politicians, regulators and customers is: let’s keep going – this [wind power] has been a huge success.

‘Keep going because that will bring costs down and make us more efficient for the future.

‘If you stop now, development stops, the innovation stops: the new jobs, they all stop. You stop that for two or three years, and trying to restart it become more difficult and more expensive.’

But Scottish Conservative energy spokesman Alexander Burnett warned an increase in turbines would alarm people – particularly in rural areas.

He said: ‘Many thought the SNP had just about gone far enough with onshore wind.

‘But now it’s being told the only way to fulfil its own policies could be to plaster even more turbines across Scotland’s countryside.

‘There is a place for onshore wind development but it has to be done right, and with the agreement of the local community.

‘And this particular surge would only be taking place to satisfy the SNP’s own tokenism of agendas.’

A Scottish Government spokesman said: ‘Renewable energy has delivered jobs, boosted our economy and contributed towards meeting Scotland’s world-leading climate change targets.

‘Onshore wind is on course to be the cheapest generation source for electricity, helping keep prices down for consumers.’

‘Invested in infrastructure’