Scotland's energy sector - unlocking investment: joint business plan

Annex: Decarbonising Electricity

Barriers and actions

Barrier #1: Climate Emergency Placed at the Centre of the Planning and Energy Consenting Process

Stakeholders: Scottish Government;

• Ensure consultees and decision makers are resourced appropriately, responding within statutory timescales and accelerated PLI processes if they are required.
• Focus on granting consents in a timely manner ahead of key project milestones.
• Update of the Landscape Capacity / Sensitivity framework to better reflect landscape baseline and current turbine technology followed by subsequent updates of individual Local Authority analysis.
• Review of planning requirements and fees for solar developments.
• NPF4 reflects the criticality of the climate emergency in the planning balance and implementation in the decision making processes of relevant consultees.
• Look to investigate avenues to make a presumption in favour of repowering and life extension of existing projects to avoid backsliding against progress to Net Zero.

Barrier #2: Aviation Constraints On Wind Energy Deployment Consistent With Net Zero

Stakeholders: Scottish Government; UK Government; Aviation Industry

• Develop a strategic, integrated and cost effective approach to civil and military radar impact mitigation, recognising that wind generation is part of the baseline airspace environment when informing future radar procurement.
• Engagement with aviation and planning stakeholders to develop a consistent approach to aviation lighting including reduced lighting schemes and deployment of alternative technologies (e.g. radar activated lighting).
• Clear guidance on how aviation lighting should be considered in the planning balance taking into account the climate emergency.

Barrier #3: Network Investment Required to Enable Connection of Low Carbon Generation and Emerging Demand Loads

Stakeholders: Scottish Government; UK Government; Ofgem;

Anticipatory investment in grid infrastructure to ensure timely and cost effective access for new generation.

Take measure to reform network charging (i.e. TNUOS) to ensure renewable generation in Scotland can remain competitive.

Barrier #4: Current Revenue and Price Stability Mechanisms Insufficient To Deliver New Generation At The Scale Required

Stakeholders: UK Government;

• Maximising the capacity and budget the UK Contracts For Difference (CfD) Auction Round 4.
• Clarity on timing and indicative capacities of future CfD auctions to encourage investment in new developments.
• Accelerate the deployment of storage technologies by ensuring a level playing field with high carbon flexible generation and considering policy options to stabilise revenues.

Results

• Supports the Scottish Government ambition to deliver, subject to consultation, between 8 and 12 GW of additional installed onshore wind by 2030.
• Unlocks the construction of renewable energy projects at scale in the short to medium term.
• Encourages continued investment in existing development pipelines and in new project development.
• Provides the framework to support a stable and consistent delivery programme of renewable generation assets to meet long term decarbonisation targets, encourage local supply chain development and have lasting economic impact.

Example projects

• Stranoch Wind Farm (EDF Renewables) 100MW onshore wind farm in Dumfries and Galloway.
• Heathland Wind Farm (EDF Renewables) 84MW onshore wind farm in South Lanarkshire.
• Stornoway Wind Farm (Lewis Wind Power) 180MW onshore wind farm on the Isle of Lewis.
• Arecleoch Extension Wind Farm and Battery Storage (Scottish Power Renewables) 73MW onshore wind farm, 20MW storage.
• Whitelee Hybrid (Scottish Power Renewables) 30MW solar, 50MW battery storage, 20MW hydrogen.
• Berwick Bank Offshore Wind Farm (SSE Renewables) World's largest, 4.1GW, wind farm in the Firth of Forth.