Question reference: S6W-26130
- Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
- Date lodged: 12 March 2024
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Current status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 19 March 2024
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to replicating elements of the onshore wind sector deal, such as maintaining community benefit schemes and community shared ownership agreements as a condition of the sale or transfer, in other renewable technology sectors, such as battery energy storage systems.
Answer
Building on the success of our Good Practice Principles and our Community and Renewable Energy Scheme, the Onshore Wind Sector Deal represents a significant step forward in ensuring our journey to net zero benefits people across Scotland, and is part of a just transition. We are learning from these successes and will continue to work with industry to explore other avenues within our devolved powers to maximise the benefits flowing into communities.
We are also pressing the UK Government to explore mandating community benefits from onshore renewables as well as electricity transmission network infrastructure. It is critical that the UK Government continues to work with us as these proposals are developed to ensure they deliver the maximum benefits for the people of Scotland, and support our transition to a green economy in which no one is left behind.