Scottish energy independence is crucial to ensuring the future of the renewables industry north of the border, according to the SNP.

Speaking today at the SNP party conference in Glasgow, the party’s business, energy and industrial strategy Westminster spokesperson Callum McCaig said a separate energy system would help Scotland “realise its potential”.

He told delegates that the UK government “took a hatchet to Scotland’s renewable energy” by introducing cuts to onshore wind, solar and biomass subsidies.

McCaig also said the UK government was “unable or unwilling” to change the transmission charging regime, which he said was responsible for the closure of the coal-fired Longannet power station.

“If we have our own energy system we can build a system that not only works for people but also for the climate, with wind solar offshore wind biomass and hydro along with storage and some back up gas.

“What is something we must strive to achieve. Westminster will not do it for us, we must do it for ourselves.”