Ahead of the launch of the UK government’s Clean Growth
Strategy, Energy Minister said:
The UK government’s Clean Growth Strategy has set out
how the whole of the UK can benefit from the global
move to a low carbon economy.
Scotland already has a strong record in exploiting the
potential of clean growth, with more than half of
Scottish electricity consumption coming from renewable
sources.
We want to go further creating thousands of good jobs
and attracting billions of pounds worth of investment.
That’s why we are ensuring that remote island wind
projects in Scotland, which have the potential to
benefit the island communities directly, have access to
the same funding opportunities as offshore wind in the
next renewables auction round.
Scottish Secretary said:
Wind projects on the remote islands of Scotland have
the potential to generate substantial amounts of
electricity for the whole of the UK and I am delighted
they will have the opportunity to compete in the next
round of Contracts for Difference. This UK government
investment is vital in realising the potential of less
established renewable technologies, as well as
providing Scottish jobs in the projects supported.
Clean Growth is at the heart of the Industrial
Strategy, and the UK government is determined to unlock
opportunities across the UK, while cutting carbon
emissions as the world moves to towards a low carbon
future.
The last competitive auction to bring more renewable
projects into the market ended in September and brought
forward commitments for enough electricity generation to
power 3.6 million homes. It secured 3.2GW of electricity
from offshore wind projects including the Moray East
offshore wind farm which will provide 950MW of capacity,
capable of powering over 950,000 homes.
A 2013 report for the UK and Scottish governments
concluded that wind projects on the Western Isles, Orkney
and Shetland could supply around 3% of the UK’s total
electricity demand.
With over 700MW of wind projects with current planning
consents on these islands, this announcement gives
certainty that the UK is an attractive place to invest.
This will also benefit the skilled UK supply chain, with
many projects expected to spend over 50% of their capital
and operating costs within the UK.
The Clean Growth Strategy looks across the whole of the
economy and the country. It includes ambitious proposals
on housing, business, transport and the environment, as
well as the power sector.
, Secretary of State for
Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, met members of
the Scottish Island Renewable Delivery Forum in April on
the Isle of Lewis, in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. In
August UK Energy Minister chaired a
roundtable in Aberdeen with a range of stakeholders to
discuss how wind projects on the islands of Scotland
(Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles) can directly
benefit the local communities.
Notes to editors
- The UK government has submitted an application to the
European Commission seeking State aid approval for this
change to the Contracts for Difference scheme.
