Highlands ‘obvious place’ to have GB Energy headquarters says newly elected MP
Newly elected Inverness MP Angus MacDonald has said he will be encouraging the energy minister and the Scottish secretary of state to base the GB Energy headquarters in the Highlands.
This comes after Highland business and organisation leaders called on the new Labour UK Government to base the proposed new publicly owned green power company in the region.
Mr MacDonald commented: “I would say it’s a very exciting prospect to have GB Energy based in the Highlands and it makes a lot of sense with the epicentre of the energy industry switching from fossil fuels to renewables.
“The combination of onshore and offshore wind and pump storage is going to make a massive impact on the UK energy industry as a whole, so the Highlands is the obvious place to put it.
“What I will do is write to Ed Miliband and the Secretary of State for Scotland to encourage them to give this serious consideration.”
Labour MSP for the Highlands, Rhoda Grant, has said that the Highlands would be a key contender for the headquarters. However, she also called on the SNP government to ensure that key infrastructure is made available.
“GB Energy will be an energy driver for the future, run for the British people,” she said. “It will help cut energy bills for good, deliver energy security and create thousands of jobs.
“The Prime Minster, Kier Starmer, has promised that GB Energy will be based in Scotland and I feel that the Inverness and Cromarty Firth Green Freeport makes the Highlands a key contender. Additionally, the majority of clean energy is made in the Highlands.
“However, the SNP government need to step up and ensure that devolved infrastructure is up to the task. Delivering housing, road infrastructure and associated key factors such as schools are necessary to attract people to the area.
“We have jobs here but we don’t have housing. This would ensure the Highlands is a front runner in such key developments.”
