Renewable Energy and the Scottish Government

Scotland is currently committed to achieving a headline target of 20% of total Scottish energy use coming from renewables sources by 2020. Specific targets include 80% of electricity demand, a 10% target for renewable transport and 11% target of heat demand.

The government has also passed world-leading legislation on climate change, setting a target of a 42% cut in greenhouse gas emissions by 2020.

Scotland's Renewables Action Plan sets out the Scottish Government’s framework for action in the specific area of renewable energy - http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2009/07/06095830/0

Recent announcements include:

• Planning consent to upgrade the Beauly to Denny electricity transmission line.
• Publication of Scotland's Offshore Wind Route Map: Developing Scotland's Offshore Wind Industry to 2020, created by the joint industry/Government Offshore Wind Industry Group (OWIG) -  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2010/09/28115850/0
• A joint Government and industry ‘marine road map’ - http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2009/08/14094700/0 identifying critical support needed to create 12,500 jobs in the marine energy sector by 2020.
• The Marine Spatial Plan for the Pentland Firth and Orkney Waters http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/marine/science/Publications/TopicSheets/MarineSpatialPlan and the £10 million Saltire Prize - http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Business-Industry/Energy/Action/leading/saltire-prize
• Changes to the Renewables Obligation – temporary uplift for early Offshore Wind projects to 2 Renewables Obligation Certificates (ROCs) per unit of power produced from this type of power station until 2014.  The Renewables Obligation Order Scotland (ROS) revenue incentive mechanism came into force 1 April 2002 and is the key means through which the Scottish Government is pursuing its renewable energy objectives.

The Scottish Government’s Energy Consents Unit is responsible for granting consents to projects over a certain size. The unit sits within the Scottish Governments' Energy Division.

It comprises two separate teams which have responsibility, under the 1989 Electricity Act, for processing applications for the following work:

• Section 36 team: Onshore Power Station applications including wind farms over 50MW and hydro developments over 1 MW.  Scottish Government aim to streamline the consents process through by having a 9 month target and also by providing clear guidance through the National Planning Framework 2 (NPF2) http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2008/01/07093039/0  
• Section 37 team: Offshore Power Station applications; Transmission lines; Necessary Wayleaves; Compulsory Purchase Orders for electricity lines and gas pipelines.