Why are Scottish wind farms paid billions to switch off?
Despite Scotland’s booming wind sector, turbines are still routinely paid not to spin. The Ferret unpacks why this happens, what makes it so costly, and what it means for your bills.
Why are Scottish wind farms paid billions to switch off?
Despite Scotland’s booming wind sector, turbines are still routinely paid not to spin. The Ferret unpacks why this happens, what makes it so costly, and what it means for your bills.
SNP claims about Rachel Reeves ‘chaos budget’ are Mostly True
Ferret Fact Service looked at SNP claims about the UK Government budget on energy bills, taxes and unemployment and found them true or mostly true.
A multinational says a battery site in rural Kintyre will help tackle climate change. Locals claim it will spoil a "unique environment"
There have been hundreds of applications for battery energy storage schemes (BESS) across Scotland. They are part of the Scottish Government’s drive to meet net zero targets but some communities oppose them including villagers in Kintyre.
Far-right agitators stand accused of stirring up trouble at asylum hotel protests. But anti-racists are standing firm
Following a sharp rise in far right activity, we’ve spent the last three months attending protests, speaking to activists under threat, and tracking anti-asylum seeker demonstrations across Scotland.
Join us
Latest
Fort William food bank faces down £24k bill from energy giant
The Lochaber food bank in Fort William claims energy multinational SSE tried to "rip them off". After a year of fighting – and questions from The Ferret – it has received an apology. But it's still being charged more than £10k.
‘Nousferatu’: the notorious consultancy advising Edinburgh uni amid 'huge' cuts
Scotland’s largest university has turned to Nous Group at the same time as it is making savings that could lead to nearly 2,000 job losses. Staff say they were misled about the extent of its work.
Is there a link between migration and crime?
Migration's alleged link to increased crime has been back in the spotlight in recent years, so we looked at the evidence.
Navy made legal threats to try and keep nuclear pollution secret
Emails reveal that naval chiefs piled pressure on environment watchdog to hide details of radioactive contamination on the Clyde.
MoD confirms potential Scottish bomb sites after Ferret revelations
Government names areas being assessed for new munitions plants after The Ferret uncovers hidden details in a botched FoI response.
Oops: MoD blunder reveals secret details of bomb project
A botched freedom of information response has revealed sites in the frame for the UK’s expanding weapons programme.
From Moscow to Paisley: How a blacklisted Russian oligarch secretly invested in Scottish car parks
A Russian oligarch praised by Vladimir Putin has amassed a UK property portfolio under the veil of secretive offshore trusts, The Ferret can reveal. Anti-corruption campaigners say our investigation is a “shocking indictment” of the UK’s “dirty money” defences.
Gaza protestors across Scotland are waiting to know if they'll be prosecuted as terrorists – a photo essay
Photographer Rayna Carruthers has been documenting pro-Palestine protests in Scotland for two years, particularly in recent months, following the proscription of Palestine Action by the UK Government.
Investigations
Fort William food bank faces down £24k bill from energy giant
The Lochaber food bank in Fort William claims energy multinational SSE tried to "rip them off". After a year of fighting – and questions from The Ferret – it has received an apology. But it's still being charged more than £10k.
‘Nousferatu’: the notorious consultancy advising Edinburgh uni amid 'huge' cuts
Scotland’s largest university has turned to Nous Group at the same time as it is making savings that could lead to nearly 2,000 job losses. Staff say they were misled about the extent of its work.
Navy made legal threats to try and keep nuclear pollution secret
Emails reveal that naval chiefs piled pressure on environment watchdog to hide details of radioactive contamination on the Clyde.
MoD confirms potential Scottish bomb sites after Ferret revelations
Government names areas being assessed for new munitions plants after The Ferret uncovers hidden details in a botched FoI response.
Fact Checks
Claim English drug deaths ‘written out of figures’ is False
The level of drug-related deaths in Scotland has been persistently high in recent years, with the Scottish Government facing criticism
Claim about the costs of asylum support, benefit fraud and tax avoidance is Mostly False
The cost of asylum support in the UK has become a febrile issue against a backdrop of a rising number
Claim NHS waits of over two years are 800 times more common in Scotland than England is Mostly True
Scotland’s politicians have returned to parliament after the summer recess, and Scottish Labour has continued its criticism of the
Claim Glasgow hosts 50 per cent more ‘illegal’ migrants than anywhere else in the UK is Mostly False
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage hosted a press conference in Scotland this week after MSP Graham Simpson defected to his
Long reads
It takes a village: a new approach to living with flooding
Dr Fiona Work, a former nurse, remembers December 2012 vividly. “I had gone to my friends and had a call
Power struggle: The billionaire, the Chinese oil giant and Grangemouth’s forgotten workers
Grangemouth should have been Scotland’s big opportunity to realise its ambition for a just transition – moving workers into cleaner, greener jobs. But embittered power struggles got in the way, The Ferret finds.
This company owns some of Scotland’s biggest oil fields. It’s also accused of complicity in Israel’s war
Ithaca Energy is a growing force in UK energy with stakes in six of the UK’s 10 largest oil and gas fields. It's also tied to Israel's war in Gaza.
A teen took his own life in foster care. His migrant mother says cultural bias led to her family being ripped apart
On one side of Nina’s bright living room, life is flourishing. Plants line the large window, green and verdant,
Explained
Is there a link between migration and crime?
Migration's alleged link to increased crime has been back in the spotlight in recent years, so we looked at the evidence.
FFS explains: why Grangemouth shut – and what happens next
The closure of the Grangemouth oil refinery in April has cast a long shadow over Scotland’s plans for a
Explained: Scotland’s GERS controversy
The annual Scottish Government report on its revenue and spending, known as GERS, has been a lightning rod for controversy
Palestine Action: Why has the UK proscribed the group?
MPs have voted to ban activist group Palestine Action, after members broke into a UK military base in Oxfordshire last
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CHRIS PACKHAM, BROADCASTER AND NATURALIST“We need more independent media asking the questions that the powerful don't want to answer. It's vital that The Ferret succeeds.”
PAUL WOOD, WEST HIGHLAND FREE PRESS