A MAJOR investor in renewable energy has said it has "a robust view" of Scotland's future as a power supplier, even if it votes for independence, and believes the rest of the UK would agree to keep a joint electricity market due to Scotland's superior position in wind power.
Despite Westminster's recent warnings that a Yes vote would spell the end for energy trading in its current form, The Renewables Infrastructure Group (Trig) pointed out that Scotland, home to one-third of the UK's renewable power capacity, is crucial for the UK to meet targets on green energy.
"While there can be no certainty that the politics evident in some pre-referendum positioning could not spill over into enacted policies potentially damaging to the renewables markets... several factors contribute to a robust view on the future of the subsidy regime in a separate Scotland," the firm said.
Trig, which has more than one-quarter of its assets in Scotland, said the "historical position and physical adjacency" of the country should also ensure a shared market.
The SNP has based its energy policy on maintaining a single market for electricity and gas, which it argues would help stabilise supply for both countries.
However, the UK Government has repeatedly claimed it would be impossible to keep the current regime because each country "would understandably be focused on securing outcomes that best serve their own policy objectives and consumers".
Trig also said in its half-year results that the warm and calm summer across the British Isles meant it produced four per cent less power than expected, though it is on track for the full year.
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