The future of energy in Scotland: consultation analysis

Comments have been grouped collectively as many respondents did not specify relevant actions, and some comments could apply to more than one action.

Action 1: make significant investment and employ targeted regulation to make Scotland's buildings near zero carbon by 2050, in a way that is socially and economically sustainable and supports Scotland's long-term inclusive growth

Action 2: consult upon district heating regulations and local heat and energy efficiency strategies

Action 3: consult upon the minimum standards of energy efficiency in private rented sector housing

Action 4: review the Assessment of Energy Performance of Non-domestic Buildings (Scotland) Regulations 2016, with the intention of further regulations from 2020 to improve the performance of existing non-domestic buildings

Action 5: continue to provide funding and support streams to drive domestic, commercial and public sector energy efficiency retrofit

Key points made in relation to these actions included:

• Consideration of how the EPC SAP rating system is working, with some suggestions that all homes should be EPC band C by 2025 or that Display Energy Certificates ( DECs) should be introduced, at least for public buildings.
• A need to tackle energy inefficiencies in older buildings.
• A need for staffing and support systems to enable delivery of energy efficiency as a National Planning Priority.
• Alignment of different delivery mechanisms.
• Enforcement of standards in the private rental sector.
• Additional legislation that will target trigger points for owner-occupiers; for example, at point of sale.
• Information from smart meters can be overlaid with other data to maximise effectiveness.
• Need to consider co-location of heat networks with other infrastructure.

Comments have been grouped collectively as many respondents did not specify relevant actions, and some comments could apply to more than one action.

Action 6: Engage with the UK Government, Ofgem and consumer groups to secure effective regulation of the retail energy market

Action 7: Support the development of robust new business models that offer reduced costs to energy consumers, through existing support mechanisms

Action 8: Work collaboratively with energy suppliers to explore ways of helping low income households with their energy bills

Action 9: Explore opportunities to achieve synergies between energy efficiency programmes and the Smart Meter roll out

Action 10: Support Home Energy Scotland to improve consumers' understanding of their consumption patterns and help reduce energy bills, to enhance the consumer experience of Small Meter roll out

Key points made in relation to these actions included:

• Smart meter technology needs to be future proofed.
• Existing systems of smart meters are limited in their technological application.
• There is a need for faster deployment of smart meters and access to data.
• A need for local energy companies to be established and use non-traditional business models for energy retail markets.
• Support for progressive tariffs.
• Introduce diesel scrappage scheme.
• Increase tax for the most polluting vehicles / introduce a carbon tax.

Comments have been grouped collectively as many respondents did not specify relevant actions, and some comments could apply to more than one action.

Action 11: fund active travel infrastructure and behaviour change programmes at record levels until at least 2021

Action 12: refresh 'Switched on Scotland - A Roadmap to Widespread Adoption of Plug-in Vehicles' by Spring 2017

Action 13: with the EU and UK Government, negotiate stretching emission standards for new cars (and vans) beyond 2020 (2021)

Action 14: with the UK Government, negotiate vehicle excise duty differentials between ultra low emission vehicles ( ULEVs) and conventional vehicles support and encourage the take up of ULEVs

Action 15: enhance the capacity of the electric vehicle charging network (ChargePlace Scotland)

Action 16: provide interest-free loans through the Energy Saving Trust to enable the purchase of Evs by both consumers and businesses until at least March 2020

Action 17: with local authorities, review licensing regulations and consider introducing incentives to promote the uptake of ULEVs in the taxi and private hire sector, with loan funding for vehicle purchase until at least March 2020

Action 18: promote the benefits of EVs to individuals and fleet operators and increase awareness and confidence in the viability of EVs as an alternative to petrol and diesel vehicles

Key actions in relation to Priority 3 included:

• A need for a supportive infrastructure to allow for development of alternatives across all modes of transport; for example, a road charging network.
• A need for a supportive infrastructure in rural areas.
• There is too much focus on EVs, the Strategy should also include additional funding for active travel.
• Consider links with multi-modal transport behaviours and opportunities from smart travel planning and ticketing.
• Support for hydrogen boilers and hydrogen vehicles.

Comments have been grouped collectively as many respondents did not specify relevant actions, and some comments could apply to more than one action.

Action 19: support business, industry and public sector collaboration through working with Scottish Enterprise, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Scottish Environment Protection Agency and the Scottish Manufacturing Advisory Service - providing a platform to explore ways to improve industrial competitiveness and productivity, as a key route to decarbonisation

Action 20: provide new incentives and packages of business support to help facilitate industrial decarbonisation, through Scotland's Manufacturing Action Plan and SEEP

Action 21: seek to provide leadership and advice to industry through the Scottish Energy Advisory Board, and associated leadership groups, pooling expertise from the key industrial sectors in Scotland and providing a strategic framework for managing this transition

Action 22: work with the UK Government and EU institutions to minimise the impact of Brexit on progress towards industrial decarbonisation - maintaining a level playing field on regulation

Action 23: enable local authorities to take a strategic approach to decarbonising heat and improving energy efficiency at local level, including identifying and developing opportunities to reduce or utilise energy waste from industrial processes

Key actions in relation to Priority 4 included:

• Actions should not impact on the viability of rural businesses; support and incentives should be suitable for remote rural and island based businesses.
• The success of SEEP and the wider energy efficiency programme will depend on the willingness of private domestic and business sectors to engage with opportunities to reduce energy usage or take up measures aimed at producing low carbon energy.
• Work with SEPA to develop appropriate environmental regulation.

Additional actions suggested under this priority included:

A number of respondents made suggestions for additional actions. These included:

• Introduction of a carbon tax or new initiatives to reduce industrial transport-related carbon footprints.
• Inclusion of off-gas grid households in collaborative actions.
• More recognition to the role of mutual benefit from heat networks serving multiple buildings and classes of building.
• Reference to low emission public transport and improvements to cycle networks.
• Inclusion of actions linking specifically to agriculture or food production.
• Greater focus on addressing fuel poverty.

• Greater focus on behaviour change.
• More focus on the interplay of energy use across sectors and between fuels to provide a strategic view across the entire system.
• Additional actions relating to promotion and adaption of hydrogen powered transport vehicles.
• Commitment to improved construction standards.
• Reference to the development of skills and training.
• Reference to the Scottish Government's aspiration for a rolling programme of overhead wire rail electrification.