THE economic impact of COVID-19 cannot be understated. Whilst there are still a lot of unknowns, the one thing we do know is that the best way to rebuild our economy is through a green recovery.

The Scottish Government has huge ambitions when it comes green energy and its aims to reach Net Zero emissions by 2045. Now, more than ever, this ambition should not only be seen as a way of tackling the other great crisis of our time; climate change, but as a way to help kickstart our economy by intrinsically linking the development and investment in clean, green energy and its infrastructure with the rebuilding of our economy.

A major part of the Scottish Government’s ambition will be the switch to electric vehicles (EVs), with Holyrood setting out plans to enable 100% adoption of ultra-low emission cars by 2032, and for the almost complete decarbonisation of road transport by 2045. This will be supported by UK government initiatives which put in place rules that will ban the sale of petrol and diesel cars from 2040 and potentially much sooner.

At SP Energy Networks, we’re proud to be leading the way when it comes to facilitating more renewable energy and the infrastructure required to support the transition to EVs. We are working in strategic partnership with Transport Scotland to deliver the pioneering Project PACE trial across North and South Lanarkshire which will enable charge points to be installed across the area, dramatically increasing the nation’s electric vehicle charging capabilities.

Projects like these provide a blueprint for collaborative working between energy providers, governments, local authorities, energy network companies and key stakeholders that can be replicated across the country to help us develop a better future, quicker for all.

Our recent research project with the University of Strathclyde revealed that 30,000 new jobs could be created with substantial investment in upgrading the energy network to help enable the switch to electric vehicles.

The study, carried out by the University of Strathclyde’s Centre for Energy Policy, revealed that on top of the substantial benefits to the job market, investment could also deliver an increase of 0.16% GDP per annum as well as an increase in wages.

These jobs would be created in the network, construction and service sector supply chain, from developers of bodywork to delivery drivers for the companies producing EV parts.

This is a good example of why our work is far more than just keeping the lights on. We’re passionate about green energy and know investing in EV infrastructure will set us on a pathway for a green economic recovery.

We’re uniquely positioned in a time when the economic and environmental advantages of investing in clean, green energy are aligned and investment in our network will create a much-needed economic stimulus to help us meet Net Zero targets.

Across the country, we’ll continue to see greater consumer demand for electric vehicles and renewable heating solutions, which means we need to act now to make sure our networks can support the essential electrification of heat and transport in future.

There has already been great progress in our push towards Net Zero and there is now genuine momentum behind a push for a greener future. Now is the time for businesses, regulators and stakeholders to have the courage to act quickly and reset the dial for faster progress towards Net Zero. This will help create employment, boosting the economy while bringing about a range of environmental benefits.

At SP Energy Networks we’re committed supporting the local communities and helping them recover. Sustained investment in network upgrades will help us to do this and plan for a brighter future.

Scott Mathieson, Director of Network Planning and Regulation at SP Energy Networks