Ross community energy boss fair deal plea to help 'new wave' of schemes
A ROSS-BASED community energy boss has called for "a fair crack of the whip" from policy chiefs to help ensure a new wave of grassroots projects go ahead.
Community Energy Scotland’s Head of Operations Eric Dodd made the remarks as Secretary of State for Scotland Alistair Carmichael paid a visit to Dingwall to meet representatives from CES, the national charity that assists communities to develop their own renewable energy schemes.
Mr Dodd provided some background on several community-owned renewable energy schemes which the charity had assisted in the last ten years.
He said: "Communities across Scotland are benefitting every day from these projects and the income they generate.
"As an example, the latest large scale community-owned turbines to go live have been on Barra, Lewis and Aberdeenshire, where Community Energy Scotland has supported local communities to own their own 900kW turbines, generating income to support their communities’ economy.
He added: "We spoke to Alistair Carmichael about the UK’s policies on community energy. We welcome the recent National Community Energy Strategy developed in Westminster, but emphasised the importance of getting its implementation right.
"Currently, we need to ensure that Scottish Community Schemes owned by charities and community companies limited by guarantee qualify automatically as community schemes. A stable Feed-in Tariff for community schemes is the only way to ensure another wave of community projects goes ahead.
"UK energy policy has a large impact on communities taking forward the community energy projects and if the benefits of local ownership are to continue to grow and spread throughout Scotland and also UK, then the financial support through the Feed In Tariff, along with the technical framework instituted by Westminster and OFGEM, must be applicable to the community energy sector.
"We are looking for a fair crack of the whip for community projects – it’s only right as these projects can bring enormous local and social benefits!"
Alasdair Carmichael also visited Dingwall Livestock Mart where a wind turbine and solar photovoltaic panels generate power which is used on site, with any excess exported.
When demand on site exceeds local generation, power is imported from the grid. There’s an electric vehicle charging point too.
The Mart set-up is similar to what Community Energy Scotland is developing on a community scale where renewable energy is used to help the sustainability of a local community/facility and delivers benefits to the wider local economy.
Mr Carmichael said: "It was good to be in Dingwall today and see the great progress that has been made in developing innovative energy schemes that will benefit the local community.
"Our recently launched Community Energy Strategy underlines the UK Government’s belief that community-led action gives people the power to bring down bills and encourage competition within the energy market.
"This is a turning point in developing true community energy. Aided by the great work of Community Energy Scotland we can ensure that projects like this in local communities across the country have the support and advice they need to succeed."
