Political Comparison Made Easy

REDUCING ENERGY CONSUMPTION

The first step to decarbonising our economy and ensuring energy security is reducing our energy consumption. A Scottish Conservative amendment in the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 introduced the Green Council Tax discount and we will seek to improve the uptake of this through a public information campaign.

We will retain Home Energy Reports despite the abolition of Home Reports and consolidate the various energy efficiency schemes into one system, with residential and non-residential schemes. We will require Local Authorities to publish "heat maps" showing where demand is in their local areas, with a view to increasing the take up of district heating, where appropriate. In the public sector, we will require all public bodies to publish details of their energy consumption and commit to a target to reduce it.

A BALANCED ENERGY POLICY

We are determined that Scotland should be the place where a new generation of marine energy sources are developed. We have thousands of miles of coastline and the highest tidal reaches almost in the world, yet under Labour, we saw companies moving abroad to develop wave and tidal power and we want to reverse that trend. We will take up, in full, the UK Government's offer of additional funding through the Green Investment Bank and we will campaign for the bank to be headquartered in Scotland. And we want Britain to lead the world in Carbon Capture and Storage.

Our colleagues at Westminster are spending £1 billion on CCS. That's more than any other Government, anywhere in the world is giving to a single plant and we want that to be invested here in Scotland, at Longannet.

We welcome the review of nuclear safety that our colleagues in government at Westminster have ordered from the UK Chief Nuclear Inspector and we are confident that any lessons learned from his report will be applied to the UK's new build programme. Therefore, we will end the policy of current Scottish Government of refusing to consider replacement of existing nuclear power-generating capacity. Instead, we would consider any proposals to build on existing sites on their own merits. However, we would not permit any new sites to be used. Additionally, we will amend National Planning Framework 2 in order to designate the replacement of existing nuclear power generating capacity as National Developments.

Please see pages 25-26 of the Scottish Conservative Party manifesto for this policy.

Please also see the Scottish Conservative Party spending plans and the Scottish Conservative Party summary budget which relate to their manifesto.

The party had no previous policy stated on its website for this topic for comparison.

Retrieved on 11/04/11 (4:38pm) from: 2011 Party Manifesto

CTP has divided this manifesto between "Energy" and "Environment". There is considerable cross over between both so you may wish to consult both policy areas.

Clean, green energy

Scotland's green energy potential is well documented. We have 25 per cent of the natural European resources for tidal and wind power and 10 per cent for wave power. It also provides new opportunities to enhance our manufacturing capacity and to provide new employment, not least in rural and island areas. Renewable energy has doubled since 1999. Estimates suggest that green energy could create up to 30,000 jobs by 2020.

As part of a cost-effective, credible and ambitious energy pathway to stimulate low-carbon investment, create jobs and take Scotland towards achieving its emissions reduction targets, we will:
• Provide new support to the companies developing marine, hydro and biomass renewable energy technologies and continue to seek investment in Scotland's ports and harbours to support the offshore renewable industry. • Set a target for Scotland to generate the equivalent of 100 per cent of Scotland's electricity consumption from renewable sources by 2025. Scotland will become a net exporter of clean, green energy and create thousands of new jobs. We will work with industry experts to make this vision a reality.
• Recognise Aberdeen as a global energy hub in a specific government strategy.
• Prepare a pipeline of projects for the Green Investment Bank so that Scotland can be among the first to benefit when the Bank becomes operational. We will continue to campaign for the Bank to be located in Scotland. We will begin to draw down the fossil fuel levy funds accumulated - but unspent - by previous UK governments so that the funds can be put to use on Scottish projects.
• Continue to oppose the construction of new nuclear power plants in Scotland.
• Support the development of carbon capture and storage technology for use on existing power stations and as a potential avenue for export. We do not see the need for a new coal fired power station at Hunterston.
• Work with communities and developers and operators to guarantee fair and meaningful community benefits from commercial renewable energy developments, including allowing communities that host projects to keep the additional business rates they generate. We will seek to combine this with our proposals for community land trusts, so land and housing can be bought and paid for by the energy generated within the development.
• Support community ownership of renewable energy to allow groups, co-operatives and local authorities to provide energy services through local energy networks, such as small-scale renewable and district heating schemes.
• Encourage innovative behavioural change initiatives within communities by building on the work of the Climate Challenge Fund.
• Work with the UK Government to ensure initiatives on transmission charging and electricity market reform reflect the specific needs of Scottish consumers and producers.

Please see pages 43-44 of the Scottish Liberal Democrat Party manifesto for this policy.

The party had no previous policy stated on its website for this topic for comparison.

Retrieved on 18/04/11 (2:14am) from: 2011 Party Manifesto

CTP has divided the SNP manifesto between "Low Carbon Ambition and Opportunity" under "Energy", and "Climate Change and Environment" under "Environment". There is considerable cross over between both so you may wish to consult both policy areas.

Low Carbon Ambition and Opportunity

Making the Most of Scotland's Low Carbon Opportunity

We are committed to ensuring there are 130,000 jobs in the low carbon economy by 2020.

We have established the £70 million National Renewables Infrastructure Fund, with the first funding now allocated and more to come in the years ahead. This will strengthen port and manufacturing facilities and supply chain provision across the country and make sure Scotland is well placed to secure investment in the manufacture of offshore wind turbines and related components. This too will leverage significant private sector investment in the next five years and, on its own, help deliver 28,000 jobs and £7.1 billion in value to Scotland's economy over the next ten years. To date, projects have been approved with an estimated spend of £378 million.

We are working hard to ensure that Scottish business is well placed to take advantage of the opportunities presented by the low-carbon economy. That includes reprioritising the £15 million of innovation funding in the Lowlands European Structural Funds Programme towards the Low Carbon Economy, to support the development of those innovative low-carbon technologies where Scotland has the greatest competitive advantage. This match funding can create £60 million of support in the years ahead to help create jobs in new and innovative projects.

We are providing updated online planning advice for renewable energy technologies. This will set out the way SEPA and SNH will interact more proportionately as consultees in development planning and management. We will continue to work over the next five years to ensure Scotland's planning system encourages sustainable development.

We will work with communities and developers to agree ways of ensuring an enhanced role for local people in agreeing sites for wind turbines when these are to be located within close proximity of the communities themselves. We are keen to expand public and community ownership of renewables projects and will work with investors to establish a new Scottish Green Equity Fund to support the development of community projects.

Renewables Targets

When we took office we raised the renewable electricity target for 2020 from 40 per cent to 50 per cent, and have recently raised it further to 80 per cent. However, given the scale of Scotland's offshore renewable potential we believe our nation can achieve even more and so we propose increasing our 2020 target to 100 per cent. Scotland will remain a big exporter of electricity and we will also generate 100 per cent of our electricity needs from renewable power. There is, of course, no upper limit to our ambition. We will also work with industry to explore whether we should also extend our renewable heat target.

We have also set a target of 2 GW renewable energy production by 2020 from the land managed on behalf of Ministers by Forestry Commission Scotland, including delivery of market-leading community benefits. We also wish to see a rapid expansion of renewable energy production by Scottish Water.

Equipping Scots with Green Skills

Given the scale of the opportunity presented to Scotland as a result of our low-carbon ambition, our technological and scientific expertise and the vast renewable energy potential around our shores, we are determined to ensure that Scotland's people have the skills they need to prosper as a result of our nation's green energy revolution. That's why, as part of our announcement of a record number of modern apprenticeships each year for the next five years, we have confirmed 500 dedicated apprenticeships for the energy and low-carbon industry.

We have already supported business in the development of green skills hubs in Scotland to ensure we have the capacity to deliver energy efficiency and renewable generation measures in our communities and our homes and we will work to expand these sorts of initiatives. We also will work with our colleges and other training providers to establish improved connections and build capacity with networks of providers through regional Green Skills Academies. These will not be new bricks and mortar buildings but will instead make full use of existing resources and facilities as a starting point for increased provision.

Supporting Businesses

We have just recently made it easier for owners of public buildings and businesses to generate energy using technologies such as solar panels without requiring planning permission. The initiative will apply for solar thermal panels, solar photo voltaic panels, pipework for ground source heat pumps and water source heat pumps and biomass boilers.

We are also developing a single energy and resource efficiency service to business, enabling all companies to gain access to streamlined support.

Research

We've recently supported the new Scottish Energy Laboratory (SEL) to strengthen collaboration across 50 energy research, test and demonstration facilities and underpin Scotland's leading position in low-carbon energy development. We will continue to support this initiative and look for ways of further enhancing Scotland's energy research base. We will also work to attract new international R&D investment to Scotland. Already, three of the six largest turbine manufacturers in the world, Gamesa, Mitsubishi and Doosan, are committed to research and development for their offshore wind technology here in Scotland. And substantial work is also being undertaken by indigenous Scottish companies including Scottish and Southern Energy, Scottish Power and BiFab. We will work to build on this growing research activity to cement Scotland's place at the forefront of offshore renewable technology.

Saltire Prize

The Saltire Prize, has attracted more than 150 registrations of interest from 31 countries. It will remain a central part of the SNPÕs offshore energy strategy.

Marine Renewables

Scotland has a particular wealth of opportunity and resource for marine renewables, and some of the leading companies in wave technology including Aquamarine and Pelamis. This is seen by the world-leading developments around our shores, including the recent confirmation by Scottish Power Renewables of the world's largest tidal flow scheme off Islay. This is the first of many major initiatives, as Scotland moves into a lead position in technology and deployment of marine renewables. Scotland has been described as the "Saudi Arabia of tidal power", and the potential offered by our marine renewables is of a scale that can match the wealth and opportunity created by oil and gas in the North Sea.

We are acting to support the development of this sector with the publication of Regional Locational Guidance on the areas of ScotlandÕs seas most suited to marine energy development.

This year we will also complete the Strategic Environmental Assessment process for offshore wind energy in Scottish territorial waters. Together these will provide developers with greater confidence to invest and ensure that development is sustainable and takes account of impact on other marine users.

We are developing statutory, integrated marine plans for all Scottish waters out to 200 nautical miles to provide the framework for sustainable economic growth and sound management. We will consult on our proposals later this year.

Our Strategic Vision

When the SNP entered government we said we would make the creation of a North Sea Supergrid a central focus of our international efforts. With the backing of the European Union and nations across the North Sea now signed up, the supergrid is on its way: and that will allow us to get the vast energy from offshore Scotland to markets across Europe. An SNP government will also prioritise North Sea Carbon Capture with Scotland becoming a hub for technology, transportation and storage. We want Scotland not only to rule the waves with marine renewables, but to lead Europe in Carbon Capture.

We are also determined to provide strategic support for the offshore renewables sector and will continue to work with the industry as we press for reform of the transmission charging regime as part of wider electricity market reform.

In government we will also look at ways of driving down costs for the renewables sector, and will work with the industry to explore new initiatives such as joint procurement arrangements for insurance and vessels.

Hydro Power

We have published two hydropower studies which suggest that up to a further 1200 MW of economically-viable, small-scale hydro could be exploited in Scotland. We are streamlining the hydro consent process by recently consulting on raising the threshold for consent, which would release further renewable energy capacity by encouraging schemes of over 1 MW.

Carbon Generation

We have published the Electricity Generation Policy statement for Scotland setting out the Scottish GovernmentÕs position on the role for renewable electricity and fossil fuel thermal generation in Scotland's future energy mix. It sets out new developments and implications in the following areas. Any new coal-fired station would need to demonstrate Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) on at least 300 MW of its capacity from day one and retro-fitting for those stations by no later than 2025, with 100 per cent CCS expected on new builds from 2020. The policy statement also makes clear that increased renewable generation means we now see no energy need for additional thermal generation plants.

Biomass

We support the expansion of local, small-scale biomass and share public concerns over the large-scale schemes now being proposed in some parts of Scotland.

Please see page 34 of the Scottish National Party manifesto for this policy.

Please see this SCREEN GRAB of the previous version of the Environment policy from the party website which may be relevant.

Retrieved on 16/04/11 (4:39pm) from: 2011 Party Manifesto

Secure, Safe and Sustainable Energy

Right across society, the recognition has grown that we need urgent action on climate change. People increasingly see the opportunities as well as the challenges, but there is no room for delay - already Scotland has lost four years since the SNP's original commitment to 3 per cent annual emission cuts. And another great energy challenge is already upon us: peak oil, or the ending of the era of cheap and easy oil. Our supplies today come from ever harsher environments while demand for oil from emerging nations such as India and China increases sharply. Oil in the future will be both more expensive and in shorter supply. Economies which can break their dependence on oil and other fossil fuels will thrive.

Demand reduction

One of the Scottish Greens' major achievements during the 2007-2011 Parliament was in securing an expansion of home energy efficiency. We will seek to build on this success with a renewed programme with a budget of at least £100m per year to pay for a retrofit programme as part of the existing Energy Assistance Package. This scheme will be free, universal and will roll out on an area-by-area, street-by-street basis. For those in private rented housing we'll introduce minimum energy standards to ensure tenants are not stuck in fuel poverty.

Embrace the energy challenge

Some of the major choices made by Scottish and UK Governments over recent years risk locking in high-carbon behaviour as well as oil dependence, and the urgent task facing a new Scottish Government will be to reverse this trend and build not only an energy system which can meet people's needs, but a society and economy which doesn't generate insatiable demand.

We'll move beyond simply setting fixed percentage targets for renewable energy. Scotland’s renewables can more than meet our domestic electricity demand, and we can export clean energy to our neighbours. We believe this can be done by 2020, and thereafter we'll continue to support increased renewable capacity for export, including through a commission to develop plans for a North Sea High Voltage Direct Current 'supergrid'.

A lot can also be achieved by developing new ownership structures for renewable schemes, including offshore marine energy. At national level this means expanding the remit of Scottish Water to become a publicly-owned renewable energy company. We would also back Public Energy Companies at local authority level, and a range of social enterprises that would put control of energy generation into community hands.

The decentralised energy generation model will result in revenue to help meet social and environmental goals and local authorities can assist such schemes by producing heat maps for their area, and by setting targets for heat load to be delivered from renewables by 2020.

Grant schemes to provide incentives for the installation of micro-renewables will further boost this sector and such schemes could operate as part of the Energy Assistance Package, and be complemented by equity release schemes.

We oppose the proposed new coal-fired power station at Hunterston, and would use the planning system to prevent further nuclear and coal expansion. Existing nuclear power stations would be closed at or before the end of their normal working lives, and will require nuclear waste to be stored on site in secure, monitored and retrievable conditions. We will also work in partnership with management and unions to ensure employees in the industry can find opportunities in decommissioning work or be re-trained and redeployed, for example in renewables.

Carbon Capture and Storage technology remains unproven and, while research continues into its viability, the possibility of success must not be used as an excuse for new unabated coal generation. CCS must be shown to be a realistic, efficient long-term option before its deployment, and it will only offer overall emission reduction if used at existing fossil fuel plants.

Please see pages 10-11 of the Scottish Green Party manifesto for this policy.

Please see this SCREEN GRAB of the previous version of this policy from the party website.

Retrieved on 03/05/11 (12:29am) from: 2011 Party Manifesto

Energy

Scottish Labour will encourage future prosperity by ensuring Scotland is a net exporter of energy and will work to improve grid connections between Scotland and the rest of the UK and Europe to capitalise on this opportunity. We will set up Energy Scotland to drive forward Scotland as a world leader in the low carbon sector.

Scottish Labour supports the ambitious target of ensuring that 80 per cent of our energy comes from renewables by 2020 and is committed to a Green New Deal, which will provide renewable electricity generation opportunities to at least 10,000 homes - creating jobs, traineeships and new business for local firms. We will encourage the development of marine technology by doubling the value of the Saltire prize to £20 million. Any application for consent to new nuclear capacity will be considered on its merits, in terms of safety, environmental impact, the local community and other planning considerations.

We will not consent to new, non-replacement fossil fuel power stations unless they can demonstrate effective carbon capture and storage technology from the outset. We will also encourage operators of conventional power stations to develop models to minimise heat waste.

Please see pages 14-15 of the Scottish Labour Party manifesto for this policy.

Please see this SCREEN GRAB of the previous version of this policy from the party website.

Retrieved on 12/04/11 (2:20pm) from: 2011 Party Manifesto