Scotland’s economy suffered an £11billion hit during the energy crisis between 2021 and 2024 as soaring global gas and oil prices drove up costs for households and businesses.
This additional burden placed on Scottish energy users stemmed from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which caused wholesale gas prices to surge.
Rising oil prices also pushed up costs at petrol pumps, further increasing pressure on consumers and firms.
The Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU) analysis showed that Scotland’s reliance on international fossil‑fuel markets exposed it to volatility beyond domestic control, warning the country’s “deep vulnerability to global oil and gas markets” remains a concern.
Scottish households bore the largest share of the additional costs, facing £5.8billion in excess energy bills over the three‑year period.
That equates to around £2,260 per household — roughly 70 per cent of what a typical Scottish resident spends annually on food and non‑alcoholic drinks.
The analysis also found stark disparities between communities, with lower‑income areas spending a greater proportion of their earnings on higher energy bills than more affluent regions.
Industrial sectors absorbed an additional £1.8billion in costs, including £800million in Glasgow and £740million in Edinburgh.
Scottish households bore the largest share of the additional costs
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The Highlands and Islands faced £560million in extra costs, while Aberdeen recorded £390million.
Commercial businesses, farms and public‑sector bodies together shouldered a further £2.6billion, with an additional £0.8billion linked to higher non‑domestic road‑fuel prices.
Professor Tavis Potts, co‑coordinator at the Just Transition Lab at the University of Aberdeen, said expanding North Sea extraction would not materially reduce bills.
“Drilling for more North Sea gas will not fix this underlying problem or lower bill costs for consumers or industry as output is too low to influence prices that are set in global markets,” he said.
Experts warn drilling for more North Sea gas won’t fix the underlying problem
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With much of the basin already depleted, he added, any new discoveries would supply only a limited share of UK demand and would not significantly affect household bills as import dependency rises.
Professor Potts argued accelerating renewable energy and Net Zero technologies offered far greater protection against future price shocks.
“Wind power cut UK wholesale day‑ahead prices by a third last year,” he said, adding recent offshore wind auctions would amplify that effect.
The ECIU questioned whether Scotland is sufficiently prepared for another global energy shock.
Mercedes Villalba , a Member of the Scottish Parliament, described the findings as “damning”, saying they highlighted the cost of continued reliance on international fossil fuels.
“Working‑class communities bear the brunt of our Government’s failure to accelerate a just energy transition,” she said.
Industrial sectors absorbed £1.8billion in costs
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Minister for Energy Consumers Martin McCluskey said the analysis underlined the need to continue expanding domestic clean‑power generation.
“We have secured enough homegrown clean energy in our recent auction to power the equivalent of 16 million homes, protecting households from future price shocks,” he said.
He also pointed to the £15billion Warm Homes Plan as part of efforts to shield consumers.
Gillian Martin noted 31 per cent of Scotland’s population remains in fuel poverty despite the country’s energy resources.
She announced £300million of investment this year to improve heating systems and energy efficiency, alongside more than £197million in Winter Heating Benefits, with 1.5 million payments already made.