Energy hustings with OEUK: keeping the lights on

Prosper, in partnership with Offshore Energies UK (OEUK), last night brought together senior voices from across Scotland’s political spectrum for an energy hustings focused on one of the defining questions of this coming parliamentary term: how Scotland secures reliable, affordable energy while delivering the transition at pace – and in a way that strengthens jobs, investment and long‑term economic performance.

Chaired by Prosper chief executive Sara Thiam, the panel featured Stephen Flynn (SNP), Douglas Lumsden (Scottish Conservatives), Sarah Boyack (Scottish Labour), Patrick Harvie (Scottish Greens), Jamie Greene (Scottish Liberal Democrats), and Cllr Duncan Massey (Reform UK). With a full room of members and stakeholders, the discussion ranged across offshore wind, oil and gas, planning, skills, and the real‑world trade‑offs shaping Scotland’s energy choices.

Shared ground: delivery, affordability, and system constraints

Despite sharp differences on the role and pace of different technologies, the panel converged around three persistent pressures shaping the energy system.
First, delivery is becoming the central challenge. Speakers repeatedly stressed the need to shift from ambition to implementation, particularly on networks, consenting, and supply chains. The debate was no longer about whether Scotland should transition, but how to build the infrastructure and capabilities to make it happen.
Second, affordability now sits at the heart of climate and industrial policy. From households managing rising bills to firms planning investments, the panel agreed that public consent depends on predictability and cost. They diverged, however, on the best route to lower prices — whether through faster renewables deployment, new nuclear, continued domestic oil and gas, or a different balance across the energy mix.
Third, the grid is the bottleneck. Network capacity, connection queues, and the cost of upgrading transmission were raised again and again — not only for renewables, but for electrifying heat and transport, supporting new industrial demand such as data centres, and enabling storage and flexibility.

What the parties argued for

Stephen Flynn emphasised Scotland’s opportunity to lead in emerging offshore technologies, especially floating wind, and argued that the transition must anchor jobs, skills, and supply chains at home. He highlighted the importance of working with, not doing things to, communities and workers.
Douglas Lumsden focused on energy security and the continuing importance of domestic production. He called for realism about system needs and costs, with support for technologies that can keep bills down and maintain dependable power.
Sarah Boyack framed the transition as a major economic opportunity, particularly through upgrading homes, accelerating clean power, and scaling heat and energy efficiency. She called for a stronger “delivery machine” that brings planning, skills, and investment into alignment.
Patrick Harvie argued for faster decarbonisation, a decisive shift away from new fossil fuel development, and a transition shaped by fairness. He emphasised proven measures that cut emissions and demand, including energy efficiency and clean power.
Jamie Greene adopted a pragmatic approach to sequencing the transition: reducing emissions while maintaining reliability, and ensuring people see tangible progress. He stressed the need for planning and grid reform and for investor clarity.
Cllr Duncan Massey argued for a different course, placing strong emphasis on cost and security and questioning whether current pathways deliver firm power at a manageable price.

Q&A: supply chains, networks and new demand

Audience questions sharpened the focus on delivery: planning reform, investment signals, network charging, benefits for offshore and coastal communities, and how Scotland builds competitive, diversified supply chains.
A recurring conclusion was that Scotland’s energy choices are increasingly system choices — about flexibility, storage, electrification, and grid capacity — as much as about individual technologies.

Prosper’s takeaway

The hustings underlined a simple truth: Scotland’s energy future will be shaped not only by targets, but by execution — the projects consented, the infrastructure built, the skills developed, and the investment environment created.
Prosper is grateful to OEUK, to Sara Thiam, to all six speakers, and to our members and attendees for a grounded, constructive discussion focused on what matters most: outcomes for people, communities, and Scotland’s economy.