Back in October 2017, then first minister Nicola Sturgeon pledged to the SNP conference that the Scottish Government would set up a “publicly owned, not-for-profit energy company” before the 2021 Holyrood elections.
Speaking at the time, Sturgeon said, under the plans, energy would be “bought wholesale” or generated in Scotland from renewable power projects and then “sold to customers as close to cost price as possible”.
Such a move, she said, would “give people, particularly those on low incomes, more choice and the option of a supplier whose only job is to secure the lowest price for consumers”.
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On Tuesday, Martin, however, said: “We looked at what was required in terms of the legislation around that, it is not something we are able to do at the moment with the current devolution settlement.”
The comments come after a poll commissioned by The National found that the vast majority of Scots believe the Scottish Government should own part of any new renewable energy developments in Scotland.
A Find Out Now survey of 1774 Scottish adults commissioned by The National revealed that 81% of Scots, when don’t knows are removed, believe the Scottish Government should make the move and take an increased stake in Scotland’s green energy future – while only 19% feel the opposite.
The SNP minister’s comments came as she appeared before MSPs on Holyrood’s Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee.
She also said that Holyrood ministers were “very pleased” that Aberdeen had been chosen by the UK Government as the headquarters for GB Energy.
However, Martin said she had “not had discussions” with GB Energy or the UK Government on how many people would be employed there.
Kevin Stewart, the SNP MSP for Aberdeen Central, said while there had been claims in October 2024 that 1,000 people would work there, GB Energy chair Juergen Maier had said on November that the total would be 200 to 300.
Claiming that would be a “big loss from the 1,000 that was first said”, Mr Stewart asked the Energy Secretary what discussions she had had with either GB Energy or UK energy minister Michael Shanks.
“Specifically on the numbers, I have not had discussions around that,” Ms Martin said.
However, she said it may be “quite difficult to put a number on the employment that is going to come from GB Energy”.