Analysis: Too much focus on budget overshoot misses the bigger picture

Deployment of renewable energy requires significant infrastructure investment and it is true that the costs will ultimately fall to consumers. The only other options are not to make the investment, or for all taxpayers to bear the cost, regardless of the amount of energy they consume.

Not making the investment is not an option. We all want a clean and secure source of energy and government policy at both UK and Scottish levels promotes support for, and investment in, the infrastructure required to deliver that. Whether you agree with the policy or not, energy infrastructure companies cannot be blamed for meeting the brief.

As for the Beauly-Denny line, this project took more than six years to get consent from when the original public consultation was launched. Given that and further delays since the high level consent was issued it is hardly surprising there have been cost increases. What this highlights is the need to have a more efficient planning system. That's not to say that checks and balance should be abandoned, but decisions need to be made - and made quickly - where nationally significant infrastructure is concerned.

Will these reported costs jeopardise Scotland or the UK's renewable energy targets? In my view, no. That could only come about through a reversal of policy at both Westminster and Holyrood.

Given the role that renewables have to play, both as a key driver of economic growth and as part of a diverse and low carbon energy mix in the UK, that seems unlikely.

• Euan McVicar is a partner in the energy and infrastructure team at McGrigors

Analysis: Too much focus on budget overshoot misses the bigger picture - we need this line for the future