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At Scottish Parliament - Written Questions by
MSP Mary Scanlon 1 December 03
Renewable Energy Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con):
To ask the Scottish Executive who will pay for the undersea cables
to connect additional wind energy from the Northern Isles to the
National Electricity Grid.
Lewis Macdonald:
The regulation of the electricity network is a reserved matter and
network upgrades, including undersea cables to connect the Northern
Isles to the mainland electricity network, are a matter for the
network owners in conjunction with the regulator, Ofgem. The planned
introduction of the British Electricity Trading and Transmission
Arrangements (BETTA) will allow for the costs of the new
transmission capability which will be necessary to support the
development of renewable energy to be borne by electricity users
across Great Britain.
Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con):
To ask the Scottish Executive what assistance is being given towards
research and development for tidal and wave power initiatives.
Lewis Macdonald:
The research and development budget for renewable energy is
administered by the Department of Trade and Industry under their New
and Renewable Energy Programme (NREP) which has an annual baseline
budget of £19 million. Since 1999, the programme has committed in
excess of £15 million to research and development in this area.
Additional support of £5 million will be provided through a capital
grants scheme in 2004-05, subject to a review of progress and state
aids approval, together with a further £2 million ring fenced for
wave and tidal technologies under the NREP in financial year
2004-05. The Scottish Executive is providing £2.125 million towards
the capital cost of the European Marine Energy Test Centre off
Orkney, currently under construction and due to open shortly. The
centre will be a major facility for testing marine energy devices.
We will also be providing, through Scottish Enterprise, £150 million
over 10 years to the new Energy Intermediary Technology Institute
which will significantly improve the opportunities to bring new
renewable energy technologies to market.
European Marine Energy Test Centre - visited by
CASE board 28 October 2003
Picture Bill Fernie
Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con):
To ask the Scottish Executive whether guidance will be issued on
community benefits in relation to wind farm developments.
Lewis Macdonald:
The level of community benefit is a matter between individual
developers and communities and ministers have no powers to
intervene. However, we are keen to work with representatives of
interested parties to see if best practice guidelines can be
prepared on the matter of community benefit generally.
Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con):
To ask the Scottish Executive how many long-term jobs will be
created as a result of wind farm development.
Lewis Macdonald:
The Scottish Executive, in partnership with Renewables UK, Scottish
Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise, has commissioned a
study of the current status of the UK renewables industry and its
future potential. The study, which will be published around the end
of the year, will provide information on employment opportunities in
the renewables industry, including the wind sector.
Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con):
To ask the Scottish Executive what route will be used for new pylons
to carry the additional energy from wind farms in the north and west
of Scotland to Denny, Stirlingshire.
Lewis Macdonald:
Under the Electricity Works (Environmental Impact Assessment)
(Scotland) Regulations 2000 the developer must assess the potential
environmental impacts of its proposal on a number of alternative
routes prior to submitting an application. The company is preparing
its environmental statement and hopes shortly to consult local
communities and others and expects to make an application to
Scottish ministers under section 37 of the Electricity Act 1989 next
summer.
Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con):
To ask the Scottish Executive whether money provided in the form of
community benefits in respect of wind farm development can be used
for provision of affordable housing.
Lewis Macdonald:
These monies are generally paid into community trust funds, the use
of which are a matter for the community concerned.
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