THE UK will not have to rely on renewable energy from an independent Scotland to meet its carbon-reduction targets but will be able to shop around for the best deal, a Labour MP claims.

Tom Greatrex, the Shadow Energy Minister, will today cite evidence from the National Grid to bolster his argument that if Scots vote yes to independence, a government in London could go to any foreign country to help meet energy needs and commitments on carbon reduction.

In its submission last year to the House of Commons Energy and Climate Change Committee, the National Grid – which runs much of Britain's electricity transmission system and all of its gas transmission system – referred to its latest survey of electricity generation for each part of the UK.

It said: "Scotland has the largest number of projects in the UK, contributing 62% of the projects, but this only accounts for 21% of the total megawatts generation due to connect.

"In theory, this means that England and Wales can meet its renewable and carbon emissions targets without any contribution from Scotland."

However, the National Grid also said: "Scotland's contribution to the UK's renewable generation provides greater energy diversity to meet the challenges of energy security and makes it more likely that the UK will meet its legal environment targets by 2020".

It added: "National Grid is taking forward its investment programme on the basis that Scottish renewables are an important part of the solution and we remain as committed as ever to delivering infrastructure in Scotland."

The Scottish Government has consistently maintained the UK not only "needs Scotland's electricity to meet its own renewables targets, but also to help keep the lights on south of the Border".

But in a speech to the Scottish Renewables annual conference today, Mr Greatrex will insist the SNP Government's argument is "based on assertion rooted in assumption" and is wrong.

The Shadow Energy Minister will say: "There is nothing intrinsically special about low-carbon power from Scotland in comparison with similar energy from any other connected or neighbouring country.

"The choice would become a commercial one: Scotland might benefit from that, but we might not.

"What is certain is that basing policy on an assumption there would be some sort of residual obligation from the rest of the UK to a separate Scotland is unlikely to convince many investors."

The MP for Rutherglen and Hamilton West will argue Scotland makes a vital contribution to the UK's renewables potential and the sharing of energy resources, risks and rewards is in the mutual interest of everyone across Britain.

"It is neither sensible nor logical for Scotland to seek to do this separately – nor for the rest of the UK to do the same, " he will add.

"The best established, most cost-effective, most realisable, most straightforward way is by doing so together.

"Changing the constitutional relationship would have profound implications for the way in which renewable energy is developed into the future."