Establish a public energy company

Common Weal have set out our proposals for an asset-owning public energy company (or companies). The key paper is here: https://commonweal.scot/policies/powering-our-ambitions/

Why the contribution is important

To build resilience against future changes in energy prices, create jobs and income, and tackle fuel poverty. See this and many other articles we have published: https://theconversation.com/the-uk-is-facing-an-energy-bills-crisis-and-no-major-party-is-prepared-for-it-188853#comment_2862541

by KeithJBaker1 on September 02, 2022 at 01:32PM

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Average rating: 4.7
Based on: 34 votes

Comments

  • Posted by GeordieRoss64 September 03, 2022 at 10:22

    I have been labouring under the misapprehension that the Scottish Government were behind this idea.
    If not what changed?
    Of course it makes sense for Scotland to have a publicly owned energy company. This would prevent the current circumstance where a monopoly on private energy is being used to move capital from the most disadvantaged in society to the best off using the price fixing in the markets as a vehicle.

    Of course this could not have worked if Scotland had the promised publicly owned provider.
    What happened?

    Who would benefit from a Scottish government reversal of this proposition? (see above)

  • Posted by carolynburch September 04, 2022 at 10:50

    Yes, but would need to be made genuinely effective by Scotland having powers to set energy policy, in particular to set prices according to (a) generation cost and (b) carbon emissions caused by the manufacture and consumption of the energy generated. In other words, act to minimise the harm done by generating and using the energy we need. This is so simple and vital, we lose sight of it because fossil fuel usage and wealth have become so integrated into our lives. We need to see government intervention like this, as protecting us, not as interference.

  • Posted by mb828590 September 07, 2022 at 07:05

    Yes, this is necessary if we want to have affordable fuel provided to the whole of Scotland. Removing corporate interest from the energy system is the only way to make our own energy production fossil free and supply reliable and equitable. Furthermore, supply costs would not be dictated by shareholders profits as it is clear this is where all of our payments for energy is currently going.

  • Posted by GWR September 10, 2022 at 16:41

    If we are to establish a public energy company, then we must as a country consider the existing pricing structure round both gas and electricity The way the system operates allows 'middlemen' to bid on wholesale prices which artificially raises the price of both gas and electricity, making electricity much more expensive than it actually is.
    As a country we would need to consider how to charge energy consumers within Scotland and how to charge outwith Scotland (integrate with the wholesale markets) even if we were to have a public company the middlemen would still be there artificially inflating the price just the same.
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