a systematic study of future provision in Scotland would need to consider a dizzying array of factors, across a regionally and sectorally fragmented landscape. It would need to weigh legitimate profit motives of private businesses large and small with the social, consumer and, of course, planning issues. There is also employment   a report in March by Scotland s Verso Economics, which has been picked up around the world, concluded that  for every job created in the UK in renewable energy, 3.7 jobs are lost. In Scotland there is no net benefit from Government support for the sector, and probably a small net loss of jobs .  Discrete technical areas that need to be analysed and synthesised include capacity security, frequency security, fuel security, security of transmission, inclusive costs, carbon emissions, incentives to invest, pricing strategy and the risks of fuel poverty.  Things were much simpler in 1926 when Westminster commissioned two Scots industrialists, Lord Weir and Lord Forres, to oversee an investigation into Britain s electricity provision, then in a chaotic state. Their report, seen as a model for what is now needed, led to the establishment of the national grid and a Central Electricity Board, led by  strongly technical  commissioners.Their conclusions still hold good:  Great expenditure is being incurred in many directions ... in our view that expenditure is not being employed to best advantage, not only is waste taking place, but further obstacles are being placed in the way of rapid and efficient development along the right lines.