RIIO framework ‘must be aligned’ with Scotland’s energy plans

Ofgem must co-ordinate the timing of the RIIO framework with the plans and programmes of the devolved administrations, according to the ENA’s Scottish election manifesto.

The five-point wish-list for next month’s Scottish Parliament poll says that while the Scottish government has set a “high bar” for action on climate change, funding is required from the regulator to invest in the network infrastructure required to deliver net zero.

Recommending that the timetable for the RIIO-ED2 framework should be aligned with Scotland’s energy plans, the manifesto says: “It is essential that the timings of the RIIO framework are reflected in the plans and programmes which the devolved administrations put in place for the energy industry. Ofgem must work in conjunction with the Scottish government to ensure that these programmes are deliverable within the regulatory framework.”

The manifesto also calls for the planning system to be refined so that it can “support and prioritise” delivery of low-carbon generation and associated infrastructure at the pace required for the Scottish government’s “ambitious” pathway to net zero.

This should include greater co-ordination of on and offshore spatial planning for the electricity grid infrastructure.

And the manifesto calls for the upcoming Scottish government’s hydrogen action plan to set out detailed plans for production of the low-carbon gas, and support for key research and development projects.

It says the Scottish government’s upcoming Heat in Buildings Strategy should include a 2030 target for hydrogen-heated homes.

The ENA calls for a rollout of public use electric vehicle (EV) charge points across Scotland, including remote, rural, and socially disadvantaged areas, which the market is less likely to reach.

It says a pilot project for a DNO-led model for EV charging, involving SP Energy Networks and the Scottish government, could be scaled up across Scotland to ensure motorists enjoy fair access to charge points.

David Smith, chief executive of the ENA, said: “Past Scottish governments have set a high bar for action on climate change and now all parties have made it clear that their priority for this Parliament is a green Covid recovery.

“It’s now imperative that we seize the opportunity of this consensus to align policy and regulation with ambition. We look forward to working with the new government to make that ambition a reality.”