Scotland’s draft energy strategy not detailed enough, says industry body

Heat sector in particular needs detailed action plan, claims Scottish Renewables

The Scottish government has been told by the renewables sector that it must spell out details of how it will meet its ambitious new energy targets.

The government’s draft energy strategy, which was published earlier this year, set a target for Scotland to source half of all the energy consumed in the country from renewables by 2030.

However, industry body Scottish Renewables said there must be “clear action plans” to achieve this target in its response to a consultation on Holyrood’s proposal’s.

Scottish Renewables advocates that current targets for the installation of renewable energy capacity by 2030 should be more than doubled. And it says specific targets, setting out the proportion of heat to be delivered from renewable and low-carbon sources, should be introduced.

The industry body’s consultation response also urges the Scottish government to maximise the electrification and decarbonisation of Scotland’s transport network via a refresh of its transport strategy.

Scottish Renewables urges Holyrood to make maximum use of the devolved policy levers it has available – such as planning, public procurement, building standards, business rates, innovation and project funding – to deliver the energy strategy’s aims.

Lindsay Roberts, senior policy manager at Scottish Renewables, said: “The high-level ambitions of decarbonising Scotland’s energy production and the vision of Scotland’s energy system outlined in the Scottish government’s draft energy strategy are to be welcomed.

“It is however imperative that the Scottish government provides clear action plans which show how the ambitious changes contained in the draft Strategy can be achieved.

“That certainty – particularly in the heat sector, which faces significant challenges – would provide confidence in market opportunities and help stimulate the private sector investments required for the targets to be met.”

Roberts also urged the Scottish government to retain its 50 per cent renewable target in the final version of the energy strategy.

“Including that target in the final energy strategy would ensure that renewables can play a key role in meeting our climate change targets while maximising the jobs and investment that our sector can bring to Scotland.”