Council / Councillors to hear of ambitious principles in achieving a ‘fair share’ from renewable energy projects
WHAT could a fair share for Shetland from future energy developments in the isles look like?
That’s the big questions councillors will have to chew over next week when the energy transition task force reports back to members.
The task force was formed this summer when councillors rejected a first draft of an energy strategy for the islands, after local industry body Shetland Net Zero Energy Forum had publicly criticised the draft saying it lacked vision, priorities and focus.
Industry expresses grave concern over lack of vision in council’s energy strategy paper
Chaired by policy thinker and global lead for community wealth building, Neil McInroy, the task force consists of senior councillors, officials, Shetland’s two MSYPs and stakeholders from the industries who had voiced their reservation to the initial energy strategy draft.
The 25-page report before councillors does not give a figure or percentage of what a fair share may look like, but it provides a solid overview, or ‘starting principles’ for areas where more detailed work is needed to ensure the ambition of gaining greater community wealth from renewable energy projects can be achieved.
These include:
- As the real value of community benefit (£5,000 per installed megawatt in onshore wind farms) has declined over time, there is a strong and valid argument to increase the amount to £7,300.
- As wind farms in Shetland produce significantly more electricity than most other places there is an argument to link community benefit to production levels rather than capacity.
- Lobbying government to secure community benefit from offshore wind developments.
- Compensation payments are reasonably due to fisheries and aquaculture interest affected by offshore developments.·
- Investigating opportunities for community and/or shared ownership of future development, such as the Statkraft-owned three wind farm that have not been constructed yet.
- Create action plans for all the areas of work identified.
The group also considered to limit further onshore wind developments beyond exisiting consented sites including the ongoing transition work at Sullom Voe Terminal.
The task force report will be presented by McInroy and the council’s development director Neil Grant during a meeting of the full council on Wednesday.
If councillors agree, the principles and details set out in the task force report should shape the redraft of the Shetland Energy Strategy which is now due to be presented to elected member next year, when there will also be a Fair Share for Shetland summit.
In his foreword to the report, McInroy said the work carried out was aimed at “exploring community wealth and ensuring that renewable energy activity delivers a ‘fair share’ for Shetland”.
He added: “I was acutely aware that huge scale of these energy and associated developments comes with significant perils and pitfalls.
“And that any failure to effectively mediate could damage Shetland’s uniqueness and weaken the prospects for future generations.”
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