RenewableUK has welcomed a new report from the UK and Scottish Governments on the potential contribution from the Scottish Islands to the UK’s 2020 renewable energy targets. The report also recognised the problems inherent in deploying renewables on the Islands due to higher grid connection costs.
David Krohn, RenewableUK’s Wave and Tidal development manager said:
“The Scottish Islands are blessed with great wind, wave and tidal resources, and development there can kickstart our nascent marine energy industry. However, as this report shows, unless action is taken to offset the higher network costs in these areas, we simply won’t see the contribution that we need to from these areas.”
“Furthermore, without incentives and mechanisms for encouraging investment in the grid, it is unlikely that we will capitalise on the opportunity to build an entirely domestic industry. That would not only mean the local economies missing out on the job and investment benefits, but also hold up development of our marine resource as a whole. That’s why RenewableUK is urging the UK and Scottish Governments to take on this work and ensure it leads to a solution for the islands”.
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Press release, May 16, 2013; Image: emec