Draft energy strategy and Just Transition plan: consultation analysis

Appendix 1 – consultation questions

Chapter 1 – Introduction and vision

1. What are your views on the vision set out for 2030 and 2045? Are there any changes you think should be made?

Chapter 2 – Preparing for a Just Energy Transition

2. What more can be done to deliver benefits from the transition to net zero for households and businesses across Scotland?

3. How can we ensure our approach to supporting community energy is inclusive and that the benefits flow to communities across Scotland?

4. What barriers, if any, do you/your organisation experience in accessing finance to deliver net zero compatible investments?

5. What barriers, if any, can you foresee that would prevent you/your business/organisation from making the changes set out in this Strategy?

6. Where do you see the greatest market and supply chain opportunities from the energy transition, both domestically and on an international scale, and how can the Scottish Government best support these?

7. What more can be done to support the development of sustainable, high quality and local jobs opportunities across the breadth of Scotland as part of the energy transition?

8. What further advice or support is required to help individuals of all ages and, in particular, individuals who are currently under-represented in the industry enter into or progress in green energy jobs?

Chapter 3 – Energy supply

Scaling up renewable energy

9. Should the Scottish Government set an increased ambition for offshore wind deployment in Scotland by 2030? If so, what level should the ambition be set at? Please explain your views.

10. Should the Scottish Government set an ambition for offshore wind deployment in Scotland by 2045? If so, what level should the ambition be set at? Please explain your views.

11. Should the Scottish Government set an ambition for marine energy and, if so, what would be an appropriate ambition? Please explain your views.

12. What should be the priority actions for the Scottish Government and its agencies to build on the achievements to date of Scotland’s wave and tidal energy sector?

13. Do you agree the Scottish Government should set an ambition for solar deployment in Scotland? If so, what form should the ambition take, and what level should it be set at? Please explain your views.

14. In line with the growth ambitions set out in this Strategy, how can all the renewable energy sectors above maximise the economic and social benefits flowing to local communities?

15. Our ambition for at least 5 GW of hydrogen production by 2030 and 25 GW by 2045 in Scotland demonstrates the potential for this market. Given the rapid evolution of this sector, what steps should be taken to maximise delivery of this ambition?

16. What further government action is needed to drive the pace of renewable hydrogen development in Scotland?

17. Do you think there are any actions required from Scottish Government to support or steer the appropriate development of bioenergy?

18. What are the key areas for consideration that the Scottish Government should take into account in the development of a Bioenergy Action Plan?

19. How can we identify and sustainably secure the materials required to build the necessary infrastructure to deliver the energy strategy?

North Sea Oil and Gas

20. Should a rigorous Climate Compatibility Checkpoint (CCC) test be used as part of the process to determine whether or not to allow new oil and gas production?

21. If you do think a CCC test should be applied to new production, should that test be applied both to exploration and to fields already consented but not yet in production, as proposed in the strategy?

22. If you do not think a CCC test should be applied to new production, is this because your view is that:

• Further production should be allowed without any restrictions from a CCC test;
• No further production should be allowed [please set out why];
• Other reasons [please provide views].

23. If there is to be a rigorous CCC test, what criteria would you use within such a test? In particular [but please also write in any further proposed criteria or wider considerations]

• In the context of understanding the impact of oil and gas production in the Scottish North Sea specifically on the global goals of the Paris Agreement, should a CCC test reflect –

  A) the emissions impact from the production side of oil and gas activity only;

  B) the emissions impact associated with both the production and consumption aspects of oil and gas activity (i.e. also cover the global emissions associated with the use of oil and gas, even if the fossil fuel is produced in the Scottish North Sea but exported so that use occurs in another country) – as proposed in the Strategy;

  C) some other position [please describe].

• Should a CCC test take account of energy security of the rest of the UK or European partners as well as Scotland? If so, what factors would you include in the assessment, for example should this include the cost of alternative energy supplies?
• Should a CCC test assess the proposed project’s innovation and decarbonisation plans to encourage a reduction in emissions from the extraction and production of oil and gas?
• In carrying out a CCC test, should oil be assessed separately to gas?

24. As part of decisions on any new production, do you think that an assessment should be made on whether a project demonstrates clear economic and social benefit to Scotland? If so, how should economic and social benefit be determined?

25. Should there be a presumption against new exploration for oil and gas?

26. If you do think there should be a presumption against new exploration, are there any exceptional circumstances under which you consider that exploration could be permitted?

Chapter 4 Energy demand

Heat in Buildings

27. What further government action is needed to drive energy efficiency and zero emissions heat deployment across Scotland?

Energy for transport

28. What changes to the energy system, if any, will be required to decarbonise transport?

29. If further investment in the energy system is required to make the changes needed to support decarbonising the transport system in Scotland, how should this be paid for?

30. What can the Scottish Government do to increase the sustainable domestic production and use of low carbon fuels across all modes of transport?

31. What changes, if any, do you think should be made to the current regulations and processes to help make it easier for organisations to install charging Infrastructure and hydrogen/low carbon fuel refuelling infrastructure?

32. What action can the Scottish Government take to ensure that the transition to a net zero transport system supports those least able to pay?

33. What role, if any, is there for communities and community energy in contributing to the delivery of the transport transition to net zero and, what action can the Scottish Government take to support this activity?

34. Electric vehicle batteries typically still have around 80% of their capacity when they need replacing and can be used for other applications, for example they can be used as a clean alternative to diesel generators. What, if anything, could be done to increase the reuse of these batteries in the energy system?

Energy for agriculture

35. What are the key actions you would like to see the Scottish Government take in the next 5 years to support the agricultural sector to decarbonise energy use?

Energy for Industry

36. What are the key actions you would like to see the Scottish Government take in the next 5 years to support the development of CCUS in Scotland?

37. How can the Scottish Government and industry best work together to remove emissions from industry in Scotland?

38. What are the opportunities and challenges to CCUS deployment in Scotland?

39. Given Scotland’s key CCUS resources, Scotland has the potential to work towards being at the centre of a European hub for the importation and storage of CO2 from Europe. What are your views on this?

Chapter 5: Creating the conditions for a net zero energy system

40. What additional action could the Scottish Government or UK Government take to support security of supply in a net zero energy system?

41. What other actions should the Scottish Government (or others) undertake to ensure our energy system is resilient to the impacts of climate change?

Chapter 6: Route map to 2045

42. Are there any changes you would make to the approach set out in this route map?

43. What, if any, additional action could be taken to deliver the vision and ensure Scotland captures maximum social, economic and environmental benefits from the transition?

Impact assessment questions

44. Could any of the proposals set out in this strategy unfairly discriminate against any person in Scotland who shares a protected characteristic? These include: age, disability, sex, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity, race, sexual orientation, religion or belief.

45. Could any of the proposals set out in this strategy have an adverse impact on children’s rights and wellbeing?

46. Is there any further action that we, or other organisations (please specify), can take to protect those on lower incomes or at risk of fuel poverty from any negative cost impact as a result of the net zero transition?

47. Is there further action we can take to ensure the strategy best supports the development of more opportunities for young people?

Just Transition energy outcomes

48. What are your views on the approach we have set out to monitor and evaluate the Strategy and Plan?

49. What are your views on the draft Just Transition outcomes for the Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan?

50. Do you have any views on appropriate indicators and relevant data sources to measure progress towards, and success of, these outcomes?

Strategic Environmental Assessment

51. Do you have any comments on the environmental baseline information referred to in the Environmental Report?

52. Are you aware of further information that could be used to inform the assessment findings?

53. What are your views on the assessment findings?

54. Are there other environmental effects arising from the draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan?

55. Do you agree with the justification for the approach to the alternatives?

56. What are the most significant environmental effects which should be taken into account as the draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan is finalised?

57. How can the draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan be enhanced to maximise positive environmental effects?

58. What do you think of the proposed approach to mitigation and monitoring?