THE Tory Government’s decision to end subsidies for onshore wind farms a year earlier than planned is “anti-business”, according to Scottish Energy Minister Fergus Ewing, who said the impact would spread right across Scotland.
He was speaking at an emergency summit in Glasgow called to discuss the recent UK Government decision to end the Renewables Obligation subsidies in April 2016 rather than a year later.
The level of concern in the wind power industry can be shown by the fact that the summit was attended by more than 200 representatives from across the renewables sector, compared to the 130 expected by the Scottish Government.
Ewing and Scottish Government officials heard accounts of the impact of the UK Government decision that will affect many businesses in Scotland. He said: “This decision by the UK Government can only be described as anti-business.
“The impact could spread right across Scotland and the wider supply chain, including ports and harbours, transmission and distribution, consultancy, communities and the civil engineering sector.
“I’ve heard from many successful businesses which are at the forefront of renewables technology which are now being forced to look at making redundancies as a result of these changes.”
Jenny Hogan, director of policy at Scottish Renewables, said: “The industry is urging the UK Government not to abandon the onshore wind sector in Scotland by pulling the rug from under it a year earlier than planned.
“We need UK ministers to urgently reconsider their position.”
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