Friday 4 December 2015

Scotland receives £10m green energy benefits a year

Scottish communities make £10 million a year through renewable energy projects.

The milestone is recorded in the Scottish Government’s Community Benefit Register - which keeps track of the income communities receive from renewable energy projects.

These range from large scale wind farms such as Whitelee, the UK’s largest onshore wind farm, to small farm and community projects.

However Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon warned the recent attacks on support for renewable energy will make further increasing these benefits more difficult.

She added: “Our national guidance has encouraged developers to increase the value of the community benefits they offer. Communities across Scotland are now receiving more than £10 million a year from onshore renewable projects. That figure is set to rise.

“Local energy now helps to fund energy efficiency schemes, fuel poverty alleviation programmes and befriending projects which reduce isolation for elderly people. They meet local priorities because they are run by local communities.”

In an "unexpected" announcement, the UK Government cut tax relief for community green energy schemes which groups then planned legal action against.