Crisis time for Scotland’s renewable energy

Critical time for Scotland’s renewable energy The Scotsman, Niall Stuart, 17 Mar 14, THIS is a historic year for Scotland, and a vital 12 months for Scotland’s renewable energy industry. The successes of recent years have seen us invest billions of pounds into Scotland’s economy, finally make some progress on renewable heat and become Scotland’s second source of electricity. But it is clear that we are entering a new phase, with harder times ahead.

The Electricity Market Reform (EMR) process, which is now reaching its final stages, has brought the biggest shake-up of the renewable energy sector since the dawn of large-scale wind power in the UK.

EMR is designed to drive investment into the energy markets of the future, as well as to protect consumer bills – and few in the industry would argue with those objectives.

The final parts of the EMR framework will make or break the level of future growth onshore, offshore and on the islands. At the halfway point of the process, last summer, often against the prevailing mood of our membership, I felt positive that all the pieces of the jigsaw were ready to fall into place – and that it would all be alright in the end.

Fast-forward six months, and today I feel much less certain about the future. Some of the pieces are still to materialise, let alone find their place in the bigger picture, and it’s difficult not to feel nervous when there is so much to be won or lost in the next few weeks.

The immediate future also sees the staging of the Scottish Renewables’ Annual Conference, which is being held at the EICC today and tomorrow. While it goes without saying that there is already plenty to discuss, day one of the event will see a high-powered panel discuss the main threats to the development of their sector, and the actions necessary to overcome these challenges – among them Christian Egal, CEO of EDF Energy Renewables, Ronnie Bonnar, managing director of Repsol Nuevas Energias UK and Martin McAdam, chief executive of Aquamarine Power……..
we need government to recognise the special characteristics, and importance, of renewable heat, without which we cannot hope to reach those 2020 renewables targets.

As an industry, we are acutely aware that the significant successes we have delivered for Scotland have been built on the solid foundation of government and industry working together to create the right framework for investment.

For all who care about the growth of renewables and the decarbonisation of our power sector, that task has never been more important than it is now, as the UK government finalises the final pieces of EMR.

•Niall Stuart is chief executive of Scottis http://www.scotsman.com/news/critical-time-for-scotland-s-renewable-energy-1-3343838