LONDON, February 16 /PRNewswire/ -- Unite, Scotland's largest trade union, has today kept-up the pressure on the SNP over the policy not to consider all viable and established low carbon technologies. The UK Government will press the case that there should be a balanced energy approach including renewables, clean coal and nuclear.

Jim Murphy MP, the Scottish Secretary, is expected to criticise the Scottish Government's nuclear energy policy in a keynote speech at the Public Information Materials Exchange 2009 conference in Edinburgh, organised by the European Nuclear Association. At an Energy Conference at Dynamic Earth in Edinburgh last week organised by Unite and Scottish Engineering, the Energy Minister Mike O'Brien also criticised the SNP's energy policy.

There remain concerns about the ability of emerging renewables to meet the Scottish Government's targets for renewable energy (50% by 2020 with an interim target of 31% by 2011) and the intermittency of wind power. The Minister for Finance and Sustainable Growth, John Swinney, at a STUC organised event on Energy and Climate Change predicted that wave and tidal power would not be mature nor commercially viable technologies for up to ten years. Last week industry experts stated that while it is expected that marine technology would play a major role in the future it was predicted that the technology would not make a substantial contribution for 20-30 years.

John Quigley, Unite Scottish Secretary said: Today we have heard from Nicola Sturgeon arguing that Scotland should not be bullied into supporting nuclear power. However, it is the SNP who are not listening. The First Minister's own Council of Economic Advisers are saying that nuclear power should be seriously considered as an option by the Scottish Government to help it meet its target of cutting carbon emissions as are trade unions and industry.

This should not be a question of politics but this is what the SNP playing; it should be about what is the right approach to help keep Scotland's lights on. There are concerns and unanswered questions by the Scottish Government about the deliverability of their emerging renewables targets. It is right that investment and support is directed towards realising the potential of emerging renewables, but surely it is also right that Scotland has an energy policy which will ensure we meet our carbon emissions targets but also achieves the security of supply.

Scotland should not be constrained by being forced to choose between different energy sources but it should be about a full appraisal of the available options. It is the SNP who are placing ideology above the interests of Scotland's people.

For further information contact Andrew Brady on +44-141-248-7131 or Ashraf Choudhury in the Unite Press Office on +44-207-420-8914 or +44-7980-224761