Question reference: S6W-23562
- Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
- Date lodged: 5 December 2023
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Current status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 19 December 2023
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to recommendation 22 in the report, Investor Panel, Mobilising international capital to help finance the transition to Net Zero, on whether public sector connections to heat grids should be mandatory.
Answer
The Scottish Government recognises that we must do more to attract the investment required if we are to fulfil the potential that the heat network sector has in Scotland and create a sustainable market. Reducing demand risk is one of the ways of achieving this.
We are working to develop potential new legislation on public sector organisations regarding connection to heat networks. We aim to consult on this during 2024-25, having first engaged with public sector partners.
Additionally, on 28 November we published a consultation on a Heat in Buildings Bill in which we seek views on the proposal to: Provide local authorities and the Scottish Ministers with powers to require other buildings within a Heat Network Zone to end their use of polluting heating systems (by a certain date and with a minimum notice period).