The Government's commitment to making better use of energy is already clear from the Renewable Energy Framework, the Climate Challenge Fund, the Saltire Prize for advances in clean energy and announcements of almost £1 billion of private sector investment in renewable projects. Looking ahead, it is building on this commitment through the following actions.
- We have increased spending on the Central Heating Programme by £10 million this year, and have announced that we will adopt the Scottish Fuel Poverty Forum's key recommendation by replacing the Central Heating and Warm Deal programmes with a new holistic Energy Assistance Package. The package (supported by Scottish Government funding of over £60 million in 2009-10) comes into force in April 2009 and will be a one-stop shop offering advice on energy tariffs, welfare benefits, tax credits and energy efficiency with access to grants to improve energy efficiency.
- We have invested £2 million in our small business loans scheme to help more small businesses with interest-free loans to cut fuel bills. Consequently, from December 2008, private landlords, agriculture and transport businesses have been able to get interest-free loans from £1,000 to £100,000 for energy efficiency measures or installation of small-scale renewables.
- In Autumn 2008, we launched our GoGreener campaign. The first phase of the campaign focused on energy efficiency actions designed to save households £340 every year. The second phase on food waste, launched in February, highlights the actions Scots can take to reduce food waste and make household budgets go further.
- We are taking forward national contracts for the bulk purchasing of electricity across the public sector which are expected to result in annual savings of up to £10 million.
- We are taking action to leverage increased spend in Scotland on domestic energy efficiency improvements through the Carbon Emissions Reduction Target initiative.
- We have announced proposals for an ambitious area-based home insulation scheme, supported by £15 million of new Government funding plus £15 million from other sources. The first stage of the scheme has the potential to offer energy advice and assistance to some 90,000 homes and support nearly 900 jobs in the process.
In February 2009, we announced 10 Energy Pledges to create new jobs, tackle climate change and save households and businesses money. Estimates suggest up to 16,000 jobs in energy-related opportunities in Scotland could be created over the next decade. We are now progressing a range of actions across energy generation, energy efficiency and transport:
- We will support and accelerate the implementation of renewable energy, through our Renewable Energy Action Plan, in a way which promotes large-scale, community-based, decentralised and sustainable generation.
- We will aim to build a commercially viable, diverse renewable heat industry in Scotland to deliver benefits to the wider public, through the implementation of our Renewable Heat Action Plan.
- We will work with the oil and gas sector to maintain its competitiveness, facilitate the transfer of skills and knowledge to other sectors and utilise Scottish-based skills in world markets.
- We will enhance our capability to undertake energy and environmental foresight and develop our preparedness to anticipate threats and take advantage of opportunities.
- We will support the development of sub-sea grids, alongside improvements in the onshore grids, and press the UK Government for fairer charging structures.
- We will support development and implementation of clean fossil technologies in Scotland, through collaboration with academia, industry and other interested parties.
- We will implement measures to improve Scotland's energy use through the Energy Efficiency Action Plan, which is a key part of the Scottish Government's Climate Change Bill.
- We will develop and deliver more sustainable transport to improve efficiency and reduce transport emissions in the longer term.
- We will promote the development, uptake and use of electric and other low carbon vehicles, in addition to using improvements in vehicle engineering which are already available.
- We will work to develop international partnerships through the Saltire Prize and the Scottish European Green Energy Centre to make Scotland a leader in the development and deployment of green energy.
Latest news:
Scotland is in line to secure £321 million in energy investment over the next three years to help households reduce fuel bills.