Blackford told to say sorry over ‘fictitious figures’ on renewables
THE SNP Westminster leader has been urged to correct the House of Commons’ records after using “completely fictitious” figures to boast about Scotland’s renewables potential.
Ian Blackford has been told to publicly apologise in the Commons after using a false figure to describe Scotland’s potential to scale up offshore wind in a debate on independence.
The SNP Westminster leader told MPs that Scotland holds around one-quarter of Europe’s offshore potential.
Speaking in the Commons, he said: “We have the potential to generate around 10 per cent of Europe’s wave power and possess 25% of the potential European offshore wind and tidal resource”.
SNP deputy leader Kirsten Oswald also used the figure.
She said: “In 2020, almost 100% of Scotland’s electricity demand was generated by renewables and Scotland has 25% of Europe’s offshore wind and tidal potential, meaning that Scotland can and will become the renewable powerhouse of Europe”.
But analysis by unionist think tank These Islands, has debunked the 25% figure – with the organisation claiming that the number is between 4% and 6%.
The Scottish Government has admitted that the figure is now out of date and will be updating the data. But These Islands insisted the figure was never true.
The LibDems are now calling on Mr Blackford to stand up in the Commons and correct the official record.
LibDems Scottish affairs spokesperson, Christine Jardine, has penned a letter to the SNP Westminster leader, calling on him to make amends for using the figure.
She said: “This week, it was revealed by the think tanks These Islands that a key Scottish Government statistic is false – that Scotland has 25% of Europe’s potential offshore wind resource.
“Over the years this has been referenced countless times both inside and outside of both parliaments by SNP ministers, MPs and MSPs.
“As These Islands have demonstrated, this figure is the product of a bogus analysis of a mixture of reports dating all the way back to 1993, when the technology was in its infancy, and relies upon a definition of Europe that excludes renewable powerhouses like Sweden, Norway and Finland.”
Last month, fact-checking service Full Fact found that Scottish Government claims over how much of Scotland’s electricity is from renewables sources was inaccurate.
In September, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon insisted the country has “now got 100% selfsufficiency in our electricity requirements from renewables”.
Mr Blackford has also repeated that claim.
Full Fact found that in 2020, 62% of electricity produced in Scotland came from renewables – with 26% being generated from low-carbon sources such as nuclear and 11% from fossil fuels.
Ms Jardine added: “In last week’s debate on Scottish independence, both yourself and your colleagues Kirsten Oswald and Ronnie Cowan repeated this falsehood.
“Kirsten Oswald also went on to claim that ‘in 2020, almost 100% of Scotland’s electricity demand was generated by renewables’.
“The First Minister herself has recently acknowledged that this is untrue.
“Our country is home to a host of pioneering firms working in the renewable sector and I am keen to see Scotland fulfil our renewable potential but it will do little to build trust in the industry if Scottish parliamentarians use figures that cannot be backed up.
“Given that this figure is completely fictitious, I believe it is only appropriate that you rise in the House of Commons to correct the record.
“I think it is also important that yourself and your colleagues commit do not repeat this falsehood further.”
The SNP did not respond to requests for comment.
The false claim dates as far back as Alex Salmond’s SNP administration.
Research carried out by Mr Salmond’s Alba party has claimed that Scotland is actually on course to deliver 46% of Europe’s actual offshore grid supply by 2035, based on an EU publication which sets out the projected installation capacity of the EU by 2050.
Mr Salmond’s party has also claimed that Scotland’s target, which is on course, of delivering 42GW through offshore wind energy by 2035, will amount to more than 55% of the entire offshore grid potential that is available.
This week, it was revealed by the think tanks These Islands that a key Scottish Government statistic is false