SCOTTISH Green MSP Patrick Harvie has written to the heads of two Holyrood committees calling for an inquiry into the impact of UK Government decisions on renewable energy and climate change targets in Scotland.
The Glasgow MSP said Tory ministers had announced a range of measures in recent weeks, including the scrapping of subsidies for new onshore wind developments, cutting back on payments for solar projects and ending both the Green Deal and the Zero Carbon Homes plan.
The UK Government was also switching Vehicle Excise Duty to a flat rate, instead of basing it on vehicle pollution levels and was privatising the Edinburgh-based Green Investment Bank.
“I have written to the conveners of Holyrood’s Economy, Energy and Tourism Committee, and the Rural Affairs, Climate Change and Environment Committee, urging them to consider a joint piece of work to understand how these UK Government decisions will impact on Scotland,” said Harvie. “David Cameron famously said he wanted to ‘cut the green crap’ but there is a real danger that Scottish economic opportunities will be lost as a result and our efforts to meet renewable energy and climate change targets will be harmed.
“Crucially, it is important to establish what scope the Scottish Parliament has for taking a different direction from the anti-green agenda at Westminster.
“Rather than appearing helpless, Holyrood should be informed of the options available to keep our low-carbon ambitions on track.”
Harvie’s intervention came as the SNP welcomed “outstanding” figures showing the growing strength of Scotland’s renewable energy sector and repeated its calls for the progress not to be put at risk by “reckless and regressive” anti-renewable Tory policies.
Figures from WWF Scotland for July show that wind turbines in Scotland produced 660,117.23MWh of electricity – an increase of 58 per cent compared to July last year.
Lang Banks, WWF Scotland director, said: “Thanks to a combination of increased capacity and much windier weather, output from turbines was up more than half compared to the same period last year, supplying power equivalent to the electrical needs of 1.75 million homes.”
Despite the wet weather, there was enough sunshine to allow homes with solar PV panels to generate 94 per cent of the average electricity need in Aberdeen, compared to 87 per cent in Inverness, 85 per cent in Edinburgh and 79 per cent in Glasgow. Banks said: “Despite the clouds and overcast skies, for tens of thousands of homes that have installed solar panels to generate electricity or heat water, around four-fifths of their electricity or hot water needs could have been met by the sun.
“This all helped Scotland to further reduce its reliance on polluting fossil fuels during July.”
The data was released as US president Barack Obama moved ahead with even tougher greenhouse gas cuts, aiming to cut carbon dioxide emissions by 32 per cent by 2030 from the 2005 levels.
“Improving energy efficiency and embracing renewables is what’s going to be required to take the world one step closer to addressing the challenge of global climate change,” said Banks.
“It’s therefore great to see President Obama follow Scotland’s lead and throw his weight behind more renewables in the US.
It sends a very powerful message globally that more politicians need to get right behind green energy.”
However, the SNP warned that this progress could be undermined by the UK Government’s decision to cut the subsidy for onshore wind energy paid through the Renewables Obligation.
A motion condemning the cut has been tabled at Holyrood by SNP MSP Mike Mackenzie.
He warned that the UK Government’s decision to cut onshore wind subsidies through the Renewables Obligation was dangerous, and could see “a loss of investment of up to £3 billion, put more than 5,000 jobs at risk and endanger the excellent progress Scotland has made on renewables in recent years”.
He said: “These latest figures show that Scotland has a real opportunity to be a world leader on renewable energy – which can boost our economy, create jobs and protect the environment.
“And our excellent progress must not be put at risk by the reckless and regressive approach of a Tory government with scant regard for Scotland’s interests.”
Westminster’s Energy and Climate Change Committee has announced that it is seeking written submissions on which Government policies need scrutiny over the coming years.
The committee said next year will be crucial to ensure continuity of energy policy into the 2020s, maintain investor confidence, and ensure that the right framework is in place to meet decarbonisation targets.
Around 21,000 people are employed in green energy sector, according to report
The National View: Tory cuts threaten our renewables progress
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