Question reference: S6W-10617
- Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
- Date lodged: 26 August 2022
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Current status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 23 September 2022
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what incentives exist to encourage solar farm developers to offer forms of community financial benefit.
Answer
Community benefits from renewable energy developments can help generate lasting social and economic benefit for communities across Scotland.
Our longstanding Good Practice Principles for Community Benefit from Onshore Renewable Energy Developments (2019) set national standards, which we encourage all renewable energy developers and communities to utilise, regardless of technology type.
We are keen to see the number of solar installations offering community benefit increase and, as we work with the solar sector towards solutions for its future in our forthcoming draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Strategy, will continue to encourage the sector to consider what packages of community benefit it can offer.