… About the Scottish Clean Energy Transition. the German Energiewende Is the Main Topic of Discussion

things you 9should know... … about the Scottish clean energy transition. The German Energiewende is the main topic of discussion. Scotland’s goals, however, are no less ambitious.

Some of Europe’s largest he German Energiewende has been covered of Scottish Renewables: renewable production over- onshore wind farms are loca- widely in the international press, with its pros took nuclear, coal and gas for the first time. In first ted in Scotland, like Whitelee Tand cons hotly debated (particularly in the half of 2014 renewables generated 32 % more elec- or Griffin Forest. Photo: Siemens English-speaking press). Perhaps less known is that tricity than any other single source of power. Scotland is also undergoing a remarkable energy transition of its own, with growth of renewable energy far  The transition to Contracts for Difference (CfDs) – in excess of overall UK targets. Scotland has also the new mechanism to support clean energy genera- decided – unlike the rest of the UK – not to build new tion projects replacing the Renewables Obligation – nuclear power stations. Here are 9 key points you is tricky, but appears so far to have worked in favour should know about this process. of Scottish wind power. Nine out of 17 winning projects announced in February are in Scotland. So  In 2011, the Scottish Government established a 62 % of UK offshore wind and 72 % of onshore wind target of delivering 100 % of gross electricity consump- planned capacity that was awarded CfDs is in tion and 11 % of heat consumption from renewables by Scotland. The largest onshore wind farm to win a CfD 2020. In 2013, over 44 % of gross consumption in was Infinergy’s Dorenell which secured a contract for Scotland was from renewable sources, equivalent to its 177 MW project. around 32 % of UK renewable electricity generation.  Offshore wind plans are particularly crucial to  In 2014, Scotland reached what was defined as meet the 100 % renewables target, as Scotland a “historic moment” by Niall Stuart, Chief Executive boasts 25 % of Europe‘s offshore wind resources.

12 Sun & Wind Energy 2/2015 CFDs allocated to Scottish wind power projects

Project Capacity [MW] Developer

Neart na Gaoithe (offshore) 448 Mainstream Renewable Power

Dorenell Wind Farm 177 Infinergy

Kype Muir Wind Farm 104 Banks Renewables

Middle Muir Wind Farm 60 Banks Renewables

Tom nan Clach Wind Farm 39.1 Infinergy

Solwaybank Wind Farm 37.5 RES

Sneddon law Community Wind Farm 37.5 Community Windpower Ltd

Farm Coire na Cloiche Wind Farm 30 RockbySea Ltd

Bad a Cheo Wind Farm 29.9 RWE Innogy

Tralorg Wind Farm 20 PNE Wind

Achlachan Wind Farm 10 Whirlwind Renewables

According to Richard Dixon, Director of Friends of the Cape, Seagreen Alpha, and Seagreen Bravo. An RSPB Earth Scotland (see full interview below), it is there- Scotland spokesperson told SUN & WIND ENERGY fore “rather disappointing” that only one project ob- that the organisation “continues to support the tained a CfD in February: Mainstream Renewable development of carefully sited and designed renew Power‘s Neart na Gaoithe. There are several other ables, including offshore wind”. “However, individual well-advanced projects waiting for the next auction. developments must be sited to avoid significant harm,” she added. A spokesperson from Mainstream  The debate on wind power in Scotland is some- Renewable Power has stated the company is moving what less controversial compared to the rest of the forward with its plan at Neart na Gaoithe. Other cam- UK. Political support is also much higher: the ruling paigns include the a legal challenge by the John Muir Scottish National Party is firmly in favour of renew Trust, a wildlife conservation group, against a devel- able energy, and there are fewer politicians turning opment a 67 turbine, 240 MW development by SSE in wind power into a political issue here. Stronelairg, arguing it will have a negative impact on wild land.  There are of course several campaigns against specific wind power projects. Hugely influential bird  For years Scotland has been a net exporter of protection charity RSPB has mounted a legal chal- electricity to the rest of the UK as well as an exporter lenge which may have an impact on Mainstream of oil and gas from the North Sea. The question is now Renewable Power’s Neart na Gaoithe offshore wind whether this position can be maintained and expand- farm, as well as planned offshore wind projects Inch ed with an almost entirely renewable electricity

Wind Edition 13 Review Scotland

to be imported from the rest of Great Britain, but on- going and planned grid upgrades will be more than enough to accommodate this,” WWF Scotland said in a recent report.

 In order to meet its targets, Scotland needs to do far more to boost energy efficiency and pumped storage as well as uptake of electric vehicles. WWF is ask- ing for the establishment of an energy efficiency feed- in tariff. The Scottish Government has given its back- ing to a proposed new pumped storage scheme to be built by SSE Renewables.

 Scotland is also pinning considerable hopes on wave and tidal energy. The government states Scotland has an estimated 25 % of Europe’s tidal po- The skyline of Ardrossan, system. This has emerged as a big issue over the past tential and 10 % of its wave potential. The Crown North Ayrshire, is dominated few weeks, particularly because of the planned clo- Estate, which owns the sea bed, has awarded leases by an enormous wind farm. sure of a large coal fired power station (Longannet for just over 1.6 GW of marine projects in the Pentland However, the general climate of near Fife). Not everybody thinks this is going to be a Firth and Orkney Waters. However, some companies acceptance is a positive one. problem. “During infrequent times of high demand in this sector have faced financial difficulties. Photo: Vincent van Zeijst and low renewables production, electricity will need Germana Canzi

“Community renewables are high on the agenda”

SUN & WIND ENERGY talked to Richard Dixon, Director of Friends of the Earth Scotland, amongst others about Scotland’s energy targets and opportunities compared to the rest of the UK.

Richard Dixon S&WE: Is it reasonable to compare Scottish targets industry. There is a rescue effort going on but it is with the Energiewende? not an easy development phase. became Director of Richard Dixon: Yes. We have around 34 % of our Friends of the Earth electricity coming from renewables so we are doing S&WE: How is offshore wind doing? Scotland in January well on the way towards that. There is lots of Dixon: We had the CfDs announced recently, and as 2013. He was Head of potential and a lot of interesting things are happen- expected only one farm won one. That’s the UK Policy with WWF Scotland ing. But just in the last few months it got a bit government not putting enough money into offshore from 2002 to July 2005, harder. Recently two of our wave power companies wind, which is frustrating because there are devel- before he was instated as have struggled. This is one of the exciting technolo- opers ready to go ahead. And the one that did get a Director of WWF Scotland. gies in Scotland because it is one of the domestic CfD, Neart na Gaoithe, is subject to a challenge by He helped set up Trans- technologies rather than something we would be RSPB in relation to the EU Birds Directive. We need form Scotland and Stop buying form somewhere else. But it is looking a bit to see what happens with this. We also need to see Climate Chaos Scotland troubled. The government has set up a new agency what gets funded in the next round of CfDs in coalition. and last week announced a package to support the autumn.

14 Sun & Wind Energy 2/2015 EVERYDAY, WE DRIVE BIG CHANGES. TODAY, WE ARE MAKING A SMALL ONE.

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S&WE: What does the renewable energy industry S&WE: Has this changed in the run up to the May need to know to be successful in Scotland? UK election? Dixon: Scotland has a good technical history. It has Dixon: We had an energy debate last week which a much better political climate for renewables than concentrated mostly on the future of Longannet [old the rest of the UK, but it doesn’t control all the coal power station which is due to close] which is a money. So when the UK government decides that big symbolic thing. Wind power is not a major the CfDs aren’t going to give very much for offshore feature of the debate. There was some talk of over- wind than that’s a problem for Scotland. So there is reliance on wind, but it wasn’t a major feature of the lots of potential but there are some political difficul- debate. Energy is a strong election issue, and people ties. Another key dimension is that community re- are talking about it; but only a minority of voices are newables are high on the agenda, with a target and saying there is a problem with wind farms. There is a good size grant scheme to make it happen and we more of a debate on how to keep the lights on and are doing well towards that target. That’s a big part about where the base-load will come from. People of why renewables are more accepted in Scotland. are saying that we are going to have wind farms but Big community-scale projects are happening, and we can’t just have wind farms, which is different from they allow people to see the local benefit rather saying that we can’t have these things at all. than just large companies producing big schemes near them. Anyone working in this industry needs to S&WE: What other big issues are coming up? be aware of that dimension. Dixon: We’ve had most political parties saying they want to save the North Sea oil industry. Of course oil S&WE: How does the debate on wind in Scotland price is low and investment is disappearing from compare to the rest of the UK? Aberdeen so they feel they have to say something. Dixon: The general climate is much more accepting Apart from the Green Party no one has come up with a that wind farms are a good thing, and that we need sensible plan on what is a transition from oil and gas them, but of course they need to be in the right jobs into renewable energy jobs – so that will start to places. So yes, there is a difference politically and emerge as well. Maybe during the UK elections and also philosophically. There are wind farms that have certainly in the run up to the Scottish elections [in May 2 objections and 30 people saying they are a good 2016] we’ll have a debate on the fact that yes, we’ll idea, so that’s quite different from many places in have oil in the years to come, but this is an industry England and Wales. And then there are others that which is in decline. And skills are transferable. So how are perhaps on the edge of a national park which do we have a sensible transition plan? This is some- have thousands of people saying they don’t want thing we need to think about, and we are talking to them. So there are still some which are very unions about how to transition from an oil economy controversial and some which are completely into a fully-fledged renewables economy. uncontroversial. The interview was conducted by Germana Canzi.

Wind Edition 15