- Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 04 May 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 18 May 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what CO2 emission savings it estimates will be delivered in each year as a result of meeting the Scottish Renewables Obligation target of 18% of electricity produced from renewable sources by 2010.
Answer
Our target of 18% of Scottish electricity supply to be accounted for by renewable energy will be achieved by the new Renewables Obligation (Scotland). Resultant CO2 savings will vary depending on the fuel source of the generation displaced by the increased renewable energy which we expect the ROS to stimulate, but we expect them to be in the range of 660 to 1,950 kilotonnes by 2010.Further research on Scottish emissions projections is being undertaken as part of the Scottish Climate Change Programme.
- Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 04 May 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 18 May 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any planning or land use policies relating to the location and development of the nuclear industry in Scotland; when these policies were adopted and last reviewed, and whether the policy framework generally supports the development of new or replacement nuclear-powered electricity generating facilities.
Answer
Applications for consent for any new electricity generation plants over 50MW in capacity are considered by Scottish Ministers under the Electricity Act 1989, rather than under Town and Country Planning legislation. Any application for a new nuclear power station would be considered in this way, and therefore the series of National Planning Policy Guidelines does not include any advice on the development or location of such power stations.Our broad energy policy is to ensure secure, diverse, sustainable supplies of energy at competitive prices. As with other forms of generation, it would be for nuclear generators to bring forward proposals for new nuclear plant if they regarded the technology to be competitive with other forms of electricity generation.
- Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 27 April 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 17 May 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has undertaken or has any plans to undertake a review of the regulations and consents governing the construction of wave energy power stations on the Scottish coast or in Scottish territorial waters, with a view to streamlining the process and making it more open and accountable.
Answer
We published a consultation paper in February this year seeking views on our proposals to streamline the consents procedures for offshore wind or water driven generating stations in Scottish waters. Our intention is to rationalise and simplify the existing process, whilst ensuring that such schemes remain subject to rigorous technical and environmental scrutiny. The consultation closed in March, and we are currently considering the responses received.
- Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 27 April 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 17 May 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has investigated the statutory and regulatory requirements with which developers of wave energy power stations in other countries must comply and whether it has any plans to incorporate any best practices which it has identified.
Answer
No.
- Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 27 April 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 17 May 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list all regulatory authorities involved in the design and construction of a floating offshore wave energy power station moored to the seabed and the regulations which each authority is responsible for applying.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-15423.
- Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 27 April 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 17 May 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the statutory consultees whom the developer of an offshore wave energy power station founded on the seabed has to consult before construction of the station can commence and when such consultation should take place.
Answer
As a matter of best practice, we advise developers to speak with the relevant planning authority, Scottish Natural Heritage and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency before submitting an application under section 36 of the 1989 Electricity Act. These are the statutory consultees defined by the Act, although the views of other interested bodies are also sought. Experience with previous renewable energy projects shows that most developers undertake extensive discussions and briefings for local residents prior to submitting their actual applications.Developers seeking to construct an offshore station of any description will also require a site lease, and should approach the Crown Estate to discuss this.
- Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 27 April 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 17 May 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive how many developers have applied to it or any of its agencies or public bodies for consents to construct wave energy power stations on the Scottish coast or in Scottish territorial waters since 1990 and whether it will list each application and the current status of each.
Answer
Scotland's only existing wave energy power station is Wavegen's LIMPET (Land Installed Marine Power Energy Transformer) built on the shoreline at Islay, which began generating late last year. The station secured planning consent from the local authority before construction commenced.The same company also developed an offshore device which it planned to install off the coast at Dounreay. The device, called OSPREY (Ocean Swell Powered Renewable Energy) was destroyed by bad weather in August 1995 before it could be properly installed. Prior to the aborted installation, the company had applied for and received consent under the Coast Protection Act 1949, and under section 5 of the Food and Environment Protection Act 1985.
- Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 27 April 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 17 May 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list all regulatory authorities involved in the design and construction of an offshore wave energy power station founded on the seabed and the regulations which each authority is responsible for applying.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-15423.
- Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 27 April 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 17 May 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list all the regulatory authorities involved in the design and construction of an offshore wave energy power station and the regulations which each authority is responsible for applying.
Answer
The design and construction of any power station are matters for the developer, subject to the necessary consents being obtained. Statutory consultees, such as Scottish Natural Heritage or the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, may agree to such projects subject to certain conditions being contained within the final consents.
- Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 27 April 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 17 May 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the statutory consultees which the developer of a floating offshore wave energy power station moored to the seabed has to consult before mooring the station on site and when such consultation should take place.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-15422.
