WESTMINSTER policy will prevent Scotland from meeting its “world-leading” 2020 green energy target, according to a damning new report.
In 2011, ministers set themselves the ambitious target of generating 100 per cent of the country’s electricity from renewables, claiming it would set a global standard.
A report published today by industry body Scottish Renewables suggests we are way off target and, based on current trajectories, will only achieve 87 per cent without immediate action. It follows a keynote speech in which Nicola Sturgeon warned of the pressing dangers of climate change and comes as a Westminster leak reveals the UK will also miss its 2020 targets.
A letter from Energy Secretary Amber Rudd shows the UK is on track to produce just 11.5 per cent of energy from renewables by that date, short of its 15 per cent target, but that “publicly we are clear that the UK continues to make progress to meet the target”.
Rudd has been accused of misleading the public because the Tories maintained that the controversial cuts to the green energy sector would not jeopardise official eco-power aims.
The cuts include a reduction in the feed-in tariff, which rewards renewables producers to encourage the development of the sector, and the end of the renewables obligation, which requires UK electricity suppliers to source an increasing proportion of their power from green sources.
Niall Stuart, chief executive of Scottish Renewables, said the data is yet more evidence that Westminster must abandon its strategy. He added: “Scotland has come a long way in a short space of time, with supportive policies at Westminster and Holyrood delivering an incredible transformation in our electricity industry.
“The renewables sector now employs some 21,000 people, is delivering around £1 billion of capital investment each year, and has displaced carbon emissions equivalent to the whole of our transport sector.
“The 100 per cent target has provided a powerful focus for Government, industry and supporting bodies like HIE and Scottish Enterprise, and really put Scotland’s renewable energy industry on the map.
“However, current projections show that we’re not going to meet it unless we get more projects going ahead between now and 2020.”
The report states: “On current projections, Scotland will fall short of its 2020 renewable electricity target, with predicted capacity only sufficient to generate 87 per cent of the equivalent annual demand for power. However, there is significant capacity on onshore wind, offshore wind and solar with planning consent which could proceed if offered appropriate support in the necessary timescales.
“These projects cannot meet the deadline for the closure of the Renewables Obligation ... but could deliver the capacity required to take us up to and beyond the 100 per cent target.”
The 2020 target was announced by Alex Salmond and last year an industry report found wind farms, hydro power plants and other clean technologies had provided the largest source of electricity for the first time, outstripping nuclear, coal or gas by almost one -third in the first six months of 2014.
Last night, Scottish Energy Minister Fergus Ewing said: “Recent announcements by the UK Government represent an attack on the renewables sector, creating huge uncertainty for investors, developers and communities and undermining Scotland’s ability to fulfil its renewable energy potential.”
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here