News / Political support for island renewables
A REPORT by the UK parliament’s Scottish affairs committee into the potential of the Scottish renewables industry has reiterated calls for a better support mechanism for islands based renewables.
In their report, published on Monday, politicians also criticised the uncertainty surrounding the bidding process for government funding for large renewable energy projects, known as Contracts for Difference, which local company Viking Energy hopes to be considered for.
The latest indication from the government is that this auction will take place towards the end of the year, but a decision whether island based onshore wind projects can bid has not yet been taken.
Meanwhile, it looks as though Viking Energy is making some progress with its plans to build a 103 turbine wind farm in the north central mainland of Shetland.
The company has submitted planning applications to widen a section of the B9075 Sandwater road to six metres, and to build a two kilometre long access track to Upper Kergord.
Both upgrades are conditions imposed on the company in the planning consent from Scottish Minister of April 2012.
And Scottish Hydro Electric Transmission is holding a pre-application consultation for the proposed interconnector between Weisdale Voe and Caithness at Mareel in Lerwick on 23 August.
Presenting The renewable sector in Scotland report earlier in the week, Scottish affairs committee chairman Pete Wishart (SNP) urged the government to clarify the future support which will be available to the sector.
“The sector’s future success relies on a supportive policy framework in both Westminster and Holyrood,” he said.
With regards to developers hoping to build a renewables industry in the Scottish islands, the report acknowledged that inadequate connections between the islands and the mainland was a significant hurdle for growth.
It is now believed that an interconnector for Shetland could be in place by 2021 and Orkney’s link with the Scottish mainland could be upgraded by 2022.
The report said: “Inadequate connections between the Scottish Islands and the mainland are a significant barrier to the growth of the renewables sector based there, including the development of emerging technologies.
“Given the excellent opportunities for wind, wave and tidal technology on the Scottish islands, it is essential that infrastructure be improved to enable these sectors to meet their full potential.
“We understand that this will only happen if there is sufficient generating capacity coming online to justify the link, which requires a clear signal from the government that it will support renewable projects located on the islands.
“We recommend that the UK Government include Remote Island technology in the list of less established technologies which will be eligible to bid for funding in the next round of Contracts for Difference.
“Strike prices for this category should be set at a rate which will enable sufficient deployment to allow for improved transmission infrastructure to be installed between the Scottish Islands and the mainland.”
The report was finalised before the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) was abolished and its responsibilities incorporated in the new Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.
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