On Your Behalf

We are dedicated to working closely with members from each sector to ensure that our work is driven by member priorities.  Our committment is to achieve the following on behalf of our members:

  • Promote our shared ambition to harness Scotland’s abundant natural resources to secure a future that will deliver on jobs, investment, energy security and climate change.
  • Work with Government organisations, NGOs and other interested parties to formulate effective strategies, deliver agreed targets, and integrate renewables into the broader agenda for sustainable development in Scotland.
  • Facilitate networking for constructive dialogue between Members and Associates and other stakeholders through an extensive events programme.
  • Provide coherent, unified and authoritative representation of Members’ interests at the highest levels through meetings, briefings and responses to formal consultations.
  • Research, collate and disseminate information about renewables and business opportunities to serve the needs of Members and Associates.
  • Provide professional and expert intelligence to Members through daily briefings, specialist working groups and newsletters.
  • Represent your views to policy makers across key areas of public policy, both through the media and face-to-face away from the public spotlight.

 

Policy - our key achievements

Our Policy Team has led on the publication of a series of papers in the run up to the 2011 Scottish Parliament Elections, further developed information resources such as the Energy Database and responded to more than 40 government consultations and parliamentary inquiries.

The team has also managed strategic projects including a YouGov poll which found more than three-quarters of all Scots support the development of wind farms, and engaged young people across Scotland through our management of the competition to design the first Saltire Prize Medal on behalf of the Scottish Government. The Chief Executive, members of the Policy Team and member representatives of Scottish Renewables continue to represent our members on a range of high level government-industry advisory groups.

 

Recent highlights 


Grid

  • Launch of Ofgem’s review of transmission charging and commitment to reductions in upfront grid liabilities.
  • Pledge by Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change to enact Section 185 to cap island grid charges.
  • Continuation of developer build option for offshore connections.

Economics & Markets

  • Numerous amendments to the Government’s original proposals for Electricity Market Reform
  • Release of the Fossil Fuel Levy fund for Scottish renewable energy
  • Ensured wider understanding of constraint payments paid to onshore wind generators

Planning

  • Completion of planning guidance on negative conditions for aviation in line with industry needs.
  • Guidance on the Assessment of Peat Volumes,Reuse of Excavated Peat and the Minimisation of
  • Waste published in conjunction with SEPA.
  • Worked with our members to shape local, regional and national planning policies and promotion of best practice through our input to GP Wind

Skills

  • Input to the Skills Investment Plan produced by Skills Development Scotland

Heat

  • Publication of report on potential contribution of renewable heat to renewable energy targets
  • Implementation of the Renewable Heat Incentive
  • Government commitment to roll out heat mapping across Scotland and to expansion of local heat networks

Micro

  • Launch of the Feed-in Tariff for small scale renewables
  • Microgeneration Certification Scheme improved to be better tailored to industry’s existing skill sets and practices

Onshore Wind

  • Published Onshore Wind: The Facts briefing, now the key reference for information on onshore wind
  • Published numerous reports on onshore wind output to highlight growth in output and to rebut negative reports
  • Established Scottish Windfarm bird Steering Group in conjunction with SNH, Scottish Government and RSPB
  • Good Practice During Windfarm Construction guidance published with SNH, SEPA and Forestry
    Commission Scotland

Bioenergy

  • Increased Feed-in Tariff rates for small scale anaerobic digestion installations
  • Implementation of the Zero Waste Plan and segregated food waste collection

Hydro

  • Raising of the threshold for hydro proposals to be determined under Section 36 of the Electricity Act from 1MW to 50MW
  • Good Practice During Hydro Construction guidance completed with SEPA, SNH and Scottish Government

Offshore Wind

  • Publication of the first comprehensive analysis of the sector’s potential impact on the Scottish economy
  • Shaping of the Scottish Offshore Wind Sectoral Plan to make positive provision for the sector and streamlining of offshore consenting regime
  • Input to the National Renewables Infrastructure Plan, resulting in the NRI-Fund of £70 million for ports and harbours across Scotland

Marine

  • Reconsideration of Pentland Firth and Orkney Waters strategic area boundary by The Crown Estate
  • Highlighted huge transmission charges for wave and tidal generators in PFOW with publication of Swimming Against the Tide
  • Worked with our members and Marine Scotland to refine Deploy and Monitor to support early deployment of technology
  • Further £18m of Scottish Government funding for the sector’s development