ScottishPower has announced plans to invest an additional £12bn in clean energy projects across the UK, citing the Government’s recent approval of several large-scale solar projects as a significant factor in its decision.
Keith Anderson, ScottishPower’s chief executive, highlighted the Government’s approach to planning as a key motivator.
Speaking to the PA news agency ahead of a meeting with Sir Keir Starmer in Edinburgh, Anderson said the controversial planning decisions represent “what we want to see as an investor.”
Earlier this year, in Labour’s first weeks in office, Energy Secretary Ed Miliband approved several major solar farms in Lincolnshire, Suffolk, and Cambridgeshire, despite local opposition.
The decision sparked backlash from regional campaigners and led to a legal challenge by two councils, which was later withdrawn.
However, Anderson viewed these actions as a positive signal for investors. “It sends a clear message,” he said, noting that the decisions also provide confidence to ScottishPower’s parent company, the Spanish energy firm Iberdrola, about the UK’s green energy future.
“We’re seeing enough clarity around the plan for clean power by 2030, and the investment horizon looks good. So that’s it. We’ll sign up for this,” Anderson added.
ScottishPower’s commitment to green energy aligns with other major investments in the sector, including £8bn from Danish energy company Ørsted and £2.5bn from offshore wind firm GreenVolt.
ScottishPower, which supplies energy to 4.4m homes and businesses, is involved in building onshore and offshore wind farms and managing substantial portions of the power grid in Scotland, as well as parts of England and Wales.
