Transmission infrastructure in north ‘set to generate over £100m in community benefit’
New electricity transmission infrastructure in the north of Scotland is expected to generate more than £100 million in community benefit, according to Scottish Renewables.
And funding from onshore wind developments is being projected to reach nearly £90 million a year by 2033.
The figures emerged as the industry body called on the Scottish Government to take “a tailored approach” to community benefits to ensure they “deliver a lasting strategic legacy”.
In Caithness there have been concerns about a “tsunami” of energy generation developments, amid fears that the continuing push for turbines, pylons and substations will “destroy the county that we live in” by industrialising the landscape.
In response to a public consultation on community benefits from renewable energy developments, Scottish Renewables called for flexibility in future arrangements to ensure local decision-making. The trade body also wants to make sure the economic viability of individual technologies is protected.
The Scottish Government is seeking to update existing guidance and best practice for community benefits. Since 1990, renewable energy developers in Scotland are said to have invested more than £200 million of community benefit, with over £30m awarded in the past year alone – largely from onshore wind.
Local funds are supporting “a variety of good causes, from energy efficiency to skills development”, Scottish Renewables said.
The organisation says communities that host renewable energy infrastructure “should receive tangible benefits”.
Analysis of two wind farms in the Highlands showed that every £1 of community benefit funding generated around £4.18 in local economic value.
The economic impact of the onshore wind supply chain has been found to be six times greater than the value of community benefit. New estimates have also indicated that local supply-chain growth from offshore wind could be worth £34 billion for Scotland if new projects are delivered.
Scottish Renewables has made a number of recommendations.
Its chief executive, Claire Mack, said: “As our clean energy transition gathers pace, it is important to ensure that a lasting strategic legacy is secured for Scotland. Delivering our pipeline of projects will provide a significant boost to the economy, bringing benefits to the whole country through high-value jobs, supply-chain growth and inward investment.
“Scotland’s renewable energy industry is proud of its positive record to date on local community benefit funding which is delivered on an unrivalled scale. We want to find innovative ways to build on this, but that is only possible if the projects expected to provide transformational funds are economically viable.
“We strongly encourage the Scottish Government to take the holistic view that energy policy requires in its approach to community benefits. Local needs vary, as do the economic realities of individual technologies, so tailored guidance is essential for keeping projects viable and communities empowered.
“Above all, we must not lose sight of the positive value generated for local communities through job creation and the security of more affordable clean energy. Scottish Renewables stands ready to work with the government to responsibly design community benefit funding that moves society and industry forward together.”