SCOTLAND’S energy minister Fergus Ewing is calling on the UK Government to “enable the deployment of renewable energy on the Scottish islands”.
He has written to Energy Secretary Amber Rudd ahead of the next Scottish Islands Delivery Forum, which will meet in Glasgow on September 21.
Rudd had previously agreed to co-chair the meeting.
In January, David Cameron committed to the deployment of renewable energy on Scottish islands, and to help with this the former Energy Secretary Ed Davey pledged to publish information about Remote Island Wind Contract for Difference by July 2015 – which has now been delayed until sometime in the autumn of this year.
Ewing has urged Rudd to provide clarity on this issue, seen as critical to the development, before the next meeting.
He said: The Scottish islands are arguably the best places in Europe to deliver renewable energy. The wind speeds are the strongest and they have the best potential for wave and tidal energy in the future.
“Also the levels of fuel poverty in the islands are the highest anywhere, so let us deliver the unleashed potential of island renewables to provide the huge quantities of electricity but also the enormous benefits to the people on the island, which will help combat the problems of fuel poverty and rural deprivation. These are the reasons why this is close to my heart and a top priority for me as Scotland’s energy minister.
“I am though concerned by the delay to the publication of vital information until the Autumn. Any such delay has the potential to result in the necessary grid updates not going ahead. I ask that the UK Government provides certainty on its support for island developers no later than the next forum meeting.”
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