Energy / FM on community benefit: UK energy market ‘rewards corporations’
FIRST minister John Swinney has pointed to the limitations of the UK energy market in response to criticism of the Scottish Government’s new proposals for renewable community benefit principles.
The Scottish Government recently announced it was proposing to increase the recommended payment for onshore wind from £5,000 per megawatt a year to £6,000, which would remain non-statutory.
This was described as “laughable” by Green election candidate Alex Armitage, while Lib Dem candidate Emma Macdonald is calling for no more energy development to consented in Shetland until there is “real community benefit” such as a so-called Shetland tariff.
When asked about the criticism following a visit to Sullom Voe Terminal on Monday, Swinney first put blame on the way the energy market is constructed.
“It’s a United Kingdom energy market,” he said.
“It’s an energy market that essentially does not reward the areas of the country that generate renewable energy – it rewards the corporations behind it.
“Until such time we have the power in Scotland to make sure the energy wealth of Scotland is used to benefit the people of Scotland, then we’re still going to have to experience the sky high fuel prices and the levels of fuel poverty that are part and parcel of this energy market.”
The first minster said his message to Shetland people is that the Scottish Government will “do all we can within our powers to try to increase community benefit”.
“But the real fundamentals of the energy market are determined by the United Kingdom and the United Kingdom is ill-serving the people of Shetland in that respect,” he added.
At the Scottish Liberal Democrats’ recent spring conference a motion was passed on strengthening community benefit for renewable developments.
Northern Isles MP Alistair Carmichael led the motion, stating that “there should be no further development in Shetland” until the Scottish government and the UK governments agree on a better scheme that will cut energy bills for people in areas with major renewables projects.
He added: “This is not those who say ‘not in my backyard’. We already have the turbines. We have something in the region of 580MW installed capacity and more planned – and that is only onshore generation.
“We have appearing on the horizon offshore wind, where the Crown Estate Scotland and the Scottish government seek to displace local fishing effort from their traditional grounds in order to make way for offshore development.
“That again is unacceptable. We as a party were instrumental in devolving the Crown Estate from London to Edinburgh, but unfortunately we only seem to have devolved the management of the seabed – we have not done enough to change the culture.
“So if Shetland’s waters are to be used to power the rest of the United Kingdom, then Shetland should be the first to see the benefit.”
Macdonald said she has long campaigned for a “Shetland tariff” – cheaper bills for islanders hosting large renewable energy developments on their doorstep.
“Enough is enough,” she said. “Shetland has already done its share of heavy lifting in moving to renewables but there has to be more in it for us.
“It is obscene that while we generate so much energy for the whole country we have the highest levels of fuel poverty of anywhere in the country.
“For years ministers have spoken about ‘community benefit’ but we do not see enough of it here. No more development should be consented until we have a Shetland tariff.”
Armitage meanwhile previously said the latest proposals on community benefit were “insulting to our community” and reiterated his view that renewable developments are better placed in the hands of communities.
“Wind turbines could be seen as symbols of liberation for rural and island communities such as ours, instead, they have become symbols of corporate enclosure,” he said.
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