Minutes of the meeting of the Scottish European Energy Network
Friday 14 May 2010
10.30-12.30pm
Thistle House, 91 Haymarket Terrace, Edinburgh
Attendees: Colin Imrie, Scottish Government - Energy Markets Division; Mike McElhinney, Scottish Government - Energy Markets Division; Victoria Wallace, Scottish Government - Energy Markets Division; Eleanor Patterson, Scottish Government - Climate Change Division; Ross Loveridge, Scottish European Green Energy Centre; Jonathan Leucci, Scottish European Green Energy Centre; Karen Fraser, Scotland Europa; Gordon McLaren, ESEP Ltd; Prof Sinclair Gair, EU FP7 Susplan Isles Coordinator; Alan Hendry, Jacobs; Neil Mitchison, EU Commission; Caroline Winchester, EU Commission; Sam Gardner, WWF Scotland; Cathy Grieve, Flanders Investment and Trade office; Gordon McGregor, Scottish Power; Dan Finch, Sea Energy Renewables; Samantha Risdale, Scottish and Southern Energy; Jean Welstead, SQW Energy; Aedan Smith, RSPB Scotland
Agenda:
1. Opening remarks - Colin Imrie, Head of Energy Markets Division, Scottish Government
2. EU Energy Action Plan 2011-2020 - Colin Imrie
3. Update on Grid interconnections and ISLES - Mike McElhinney, Head of Grid and Energy Projects, Scottish Government
4. Update on New Entrants Reserve funding - Ross Loveridge, Thematic Manager-CCS, Scottish European Green Energy Centre
5. Update from the Scottish European Green Energy Centre - Jonathan Leucci, Thematic Manager-Grids, Scottish European Green Energy Centre
6. Update on the Berlin Forum CCS Working Group - Ross Loveridge
7. Update on international low carbon engagement - Ross Loveridge
1. Opening remarks
General introduction from Colin Imrie and round table introductions.
2. EU Energy Action Plan 2011-2020
A stock taking document was published on Friday 7 May, ahead of a Communication which will set out the EU Energy Action Plan 2011-2020, which is expected later this year (November 2010). Colin Imrie gave a presentation summarising this document. This is a consultation document, to which we intend to feed a Scottish response. If you have any comments to make, please email these to Victoria.wallace@scotland.gsi.gov.uk (before Friday 21 May). After 21 May, please email comments to Ross.Loveridge@scotland.gsi.gov.uk by Friday 28 May. To view the consultation document, please visit the European Commission's website
The Spanish Presidency will hold a conference on the Strategic Energy Technology (SET) Plan on 3-4 June in Madrid. This will constitute the formal launch of the first of the EU Industrial Initiatives (EIIs). Please visit the event's website for further details.
3. Grid interconnection and ISLES
· The ISLES project has begun and is currently in the pre-study phase of the project. Indicative outcomes of the project expect to be seen by the end of the year and a full study will be published by the end of 2011.
· The British Irish Council - The March Ministerial summit signed off a concordat committing joint working on the formulation and expression of renewable energy ambitions at EU level between UK Government, Scottish Government and the Government of Ireland.
· North Sea Grid - work continues with the Adamowitsch Working Group. Adamowitsch will be visiting Scotland twice in the next 2 months - he is attending the All Energy conference and will be attending the 2020 conference at Our Dynamic Earth in Edinburgh in June.
· The Scottish Government has been working closely with DECC colleagues to feed in grid elements of the UK renewables action plan.
· Transmission charging - The Scottish Government has been picking up this issue with the new Energy Commissioner Gunther Oettinger. The Scottish Energy Minister, Jim Mather, has been working hard to move the discussions on the GB charging system forward. The Scottish Government will be bringing forward a paper presenting options to change the existing charging system.
· An offshore valuation study (assessing offshore capacity and the commercial benefit of developing this) will be published on Wednesday 19 May at the All Energy Conference
4. Update from the Scottish European Green Energy Centre
Jonathan Leucci gave an update on the Scottish European Green Energy Centre. Jonathan outlined SEGEC's background, its staff members and current activity.
5. New Entrants Reserve funding
Ross Loveridge gave a presentation outlining the EU ETS New Entrants Reserve demonstration funding for CCS and Renewables.
6. Berlin CCS Forum
Ross gave a brief summary following his attendance at the latest meeting of the Berlin Forum.
7. Low carbon engagement
Colin Imrie gave an update on international low carbon engagement. The Scottish Government launched an International Low Carbon Alliance at same time as the Copenhagen conference. We want to position Scottish organisations to be able to help deliver this funding through joint working with projects overseas, such as our collaborations with the Maldives, India and China. We will keep the Network updated on this as things develop.
The 2020 conference will take place on 16 June at Our Dynamic Earth in Edinburgh. Discussions are ongoing at the European Council about the EU's contribution to the €10 billion investment that is needed in developing countries for climate change adaptation. A revised impact assessment of moving to 30% targets will be coming out in June 2010.
Date of the next meeting
The date of the next meeting has not been set yet, but it is likely to be around September.