More pylons and power lines needed to cut bills

Giving into aesthetic objections to transmission network upgrades, including new power lines and pylons, will hold back economic growth in the north of Scotland, a new report has warned.

A briefing paper by trade group Scottish Renewables lays out the case for why Scotland urgently needs more pylons, power lines and substations to cut energy bills.

The report, entitled Why investing in electricity transmission infrastructure is a priority for Scotland, says those objecting to the construction of transmission infrastructure largely do so because they do not like the way they look, and often claim to represent the views of entire communities.

But with electricity demand set to increase by 50% in the next decade and double by mid-century, a network that delivers cheap, reliable, clean power, jobs and a thriving economy “is going to look different”, it says.

The report adds: “Saying no to power lines, pylons and substations because of how they look holds back economic growth in the north of Scotland, slows our chance of tackling climate change for future generations and will mean burning more expensive gas, raising energy bills for everyone.”

Every mile of overhead power line built enables renewable energy generation to displace more than 10,000 tons of CO2 from the atmosphere, the equivalent of taking 7,600 cars off the road, according to research carried out for the briefing.

And paying wind farms to switch off because the grid cannot cope with the power they produce could cost more than £3.5 billion in 2030, unless the transmission network is improved, working out at £200 increases in annual electricity bills for British households, it warns.

Nick Sharpe, director of communications and strategy at Scottish Renewables, said: “The UK’s electricity network is not fit for purpose.

“While the deployment of cheap renewable energy generation has increased fourfold over the past ten years, investment in Britain’s transmission grid has flatlined, and has even decreased since 2017.

“By the end of this year, there will be just over 70 months left to achieve our (2030) targets of 1”1GW offshore and 12GW onshore wind. To ensure we maximise the enormous socioeconomic benefits this will bring to local communities, we will need a grid fit for the 21^st century.”