Billions to shareholders: Calls to nationalise Scots wind farms and buses

Exclusive Friends of the Earth Scotland Scottish Trades Union Congress Economy Local government National government Scotland Bus services and wind farms: Scotland urged to expand public ownership   Friends of the Earth Scotland Scottish Trades Union Congress Economy Local government National government Scotland Exclusive /Business Journalist of the Year Roz Foyer of the Scottish Trades Union Congress and Caroline Rance of Friends of the Earth Scotland want nationalisation of wind farms and buses. (Image: Damian Shields) This article is brought to you , and has been written . It does not necessarily reflect the view of The Herald. Billions of pounds in wind farm profits are being paid out to corporate shareholders over five years as public funding for Scotland’s buses and free travel has soared by 72% since before the pandemic — prompting demands to ministers for energy and transport to be brought into public ownership. An analysis of 105 Scottish onshore wind farms found they generated £2.83billion in post-tax profits over five years, with almost 90% paid out in dividends to corporate shareholders. Meanwhile, the Scottish Government’s annual budget for bus services and concessionary travel has risen from £273 million in 2019/20 to £468m in 2025/26 — an increase of £195m. The Scottish Trades Union Congress, environmental campaigners and a think tank are now demanding a major expansion of public ownership of renewable energy and bus services, arguing that public money should build services and infrastructure that benefit communities rather than prop up privately controlled systems while profits flow to shareholders. Roz Foyer, general secretary of the STUC, said: “It’s the scandal of our age that instead of helping local governments to build these models across Scotland, we billion pound rip off of workers as public money props up private ownership of buses and energy with wealth extracted out of our abandoned communities.” Caroline Rance, head of campaigns for Friends of the Earth Scotland, said: “Put simply, this shows that we can do it better if we own it. Public ownership is already delivering for workers, communities and the climate but it needs to be scaled up if we are to meet the challenges facing Scotland.” The analysis is at the heart of an investigation (CLES), a think tank specialising in local economies and community wealth building, commissioned for the Just Transition Partnership, a coalition of trade unions, environmental groups and other organisations campaigning for a fair shift to a low-carbon economy. The report argues that public investment in energy, transport and home improvements should build lasting public assets and services rather than leave control and financial returns predominantly in private hands.