Committee: Insulate Scotland to Meet 42% Target
Tue., June 30, 2009. 20:20.
Key Green proposals endorsed.
Several key Green proposals are endorsed by Holyrood's Economy, Energy & Tourism Committee in a landmark report published today. (1) The report is intended to show how the energy sector can help Scotland achieve the 42% carbon reduction target for 2020 set last week, and its proposals include:
1. Between £100m and £170m to be spent each year on insulation, energy efficiency and tackling fuel poverty. (2) The Scottish Greens last year proposed a free universal insulation scheme for Scotland's homes, costed at the lower end of this range, but the Scottish Government rejected the idea.
2. Scotland's electricity network to be significantly decentralised, to support individual and local energy networks. (3) This would allow much greater community ownership of renewables, boosting uptake and support for these schemes and increasing fairness as well as efficiency.
3. Consent for major grid upgrades, including the Beauly-Denny power line, to be speeded up. (4) Scotland has extraordinary renewable resources, but most are located away from our major cities. Changes of this sort would allow Scotland not only to go 100% renewable but also to export clean energy to the rest of the UK and internationally.
The Committee also notes that so-called clean coal is "not yet proven" technology. (5) Greens argue that coal remains an unsustainable fuel choice even if carbon capture and storage can be developed, especially when extracted by opencast mining.
Patrick Harvie MSP said:
"This is an excellent report, and if Ministers act on it we will be several steps closer to making our electricity supply cleaner and more affordable. The way Scotland generates power is currently dependent on opencast coal, Australian uranium and Russian gas, and Ministers are leaving future generations a legacy of hazardous nuclear waste and massive climate pollution.
"It doesn't have to be like that, and the Committee are to be commended for showing how we can get out of this mess. The redesigned energy network this report lays out can be clean, green and affordable, as well as kick-starting employment and export opportunities. These are the measures we need if we're to avoid a nuclear future.
"This is also Scotland's chance to lead the world not just in targets and ambitions, but in action.
"With every day that passes, Scottish Ministers must be kicking themselves for not taking up our proposal last year to insulate all Scotland's homes for free. Petty politics appeared to get in the way, and I would urge the SNP to get round the table with us as soon as possible to discuss how to make progress in this area. If Ministers want to live up to their Climate Bill's 42% target, they can, but it will be virtually impossible without a change of heart on insulation."
Notes
1. See the Committee press release here: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/nmCentre/news/news-comm-09/ceet09-s3-006.htm
The full report is here: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/s3/committees/eet/reports-09/eer09-07-vol01-01.htm
2. See point 108 of the report.
3. See point 94.
4. See point 118.
5. See point 91, which reads: "However, on the basis of the evidence received, the Committee recognises that some of the alternatives to the current means of producing electricity, such as cleaner coal-fired power stations equipped with carbon capture and storage or marine renewables off Scotland’s coasts are not yet proven and will take some time to develop and will not be fully realised before some of the current generating stock is due to retire."
Contact the Scottish Greens' press team on 07909 933 074.