For immediate use
1 April 2010
An amendment lodged by Highlands & Islands SNP MSP Rob Gibson today exposes allegations made by Liberal Democrat MSP Liam McArthur regarding a 'sudden end' to the Scottish Government's Energy Saving Scotland (ESS) home renewables grant and home loans scheme.
The ESS scheme was designed to encourage individuals and families to install renewables systems in their homes to reduce their carbon footprints as well as export the excess energy they produce to the national grid. Successfully achieving this goal, the scheme has outlasted its equivalents in other parts of the UK and today been replaced by a generous alternative known as the Clean Energy Cashback Scheme.
Commenting today, Rob said:
"It would be helpful if Mr McArthur reached his conclusions using sound logic and reasoning, as opposed to reaching his conclusion first and finding a way to manipulate the facts to get there.
"The Energy Saving Scotland scheme was so successful in increasing demand for these grants that it prompted the design of new feed-in-tariffs through the Clean Energy Cashback Scheme which will not only pay households for the energy they export to the grid but also guarantee a minimum payment for all the electricity generated by their system.
"That is a generous alternative to the ESS scheme, and it is worth noting that the scheme in Scotland has outlasted its equivalents in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
"This Scottish Government is effectively developing the home and community renewables markets in Scotland in a way that is not just growing the market, but adapting within a difficult financial economy and utilising Scotland's competitive advantages to do so.
ENDS
NOTES
Copy of the amendment and original motion follow:
As an amendment to motion S3M-6069 in the name of Liam McArthur (Sudden End to Home Renewables Grant and Home Loans Schemes) leave out from "bring forward" to end and insert:
"target renewables generation funding where it will make the biggest impact is both fiscally responsible and forward-thinking; notes the equivalent grants scheme for electricity generating technologies under the Low Carbon Buildings Programme in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are already closed; welcomes the increased market demand generated by the Energy Saving Scotland home renewables grants and home loans scheme as intended, designed to support households in adopting renewable technologies to power their homes; considers the development and introduction of Feed-In-Tariffs (FITs) in response to this increased demand, also known as the Clean Energy Cashback Scheme, which, from 1 April 2010, to be a generous alternative to grant support that will include a minimum payment for all electricity generated by the system as well as a separate payment for the electricity exported to the grid; and finally praises the Scottish Government's commitment to effectively and efficiently provide incentives in the developing home and community renewables markets in Scotland.
S3M-6069 Liam McArthur: Sudden End to Home Renewables Grant and Home Loans Schemes—That the Parliament believes that the Scottish Government’s decision to bring forward the deadline for applications under the change to the Energy Saving Scotland (ESS) home renewables grant and home loans schemes without consultation or warning will unfairly penalise the very many innovative individuals looking to take forward microrenewables projects; is concerned that the way in which grants were removed and loans reduced under the ESS schemes risks undermining public confidence in schemes of this type in the future, and calls on the Scottish Government to reconsider how applicants and prospective applicants affected by the premature closure of the scheme can be helped.
1 April 2010
An amendment lodged by Highlands & Islands SNP MSP Rob Gibson today exposes allegations made by Liberal Democrat MSP Liam McArthur regarding a 'sudden end' to the Scottish Government's Energy Saving Scotland (ESS) home renewables grant and home loans scheme.
The ESS scheme was designed to encourage individuals and families to install renewables systems in their homes to reduce their carbon footprints as well as export the excess energy they produce to the national grid. Successfully achieving this goal, the scheme has outlasted its equivalents in other parts of the UK and today been replaced by a generous alternative known as the Clean Energy Cashback Scheme.
Commenting today, Rob said:
"It would be helpful if Mr McArthur reached his conclusions using sound logic and reasoning, as opposed to reaching his conclusion first and finding a way to manipulate the facts to get there.
"The Energy Saving Scotland scheme was so successful in increasing demand for these grants that it prompted the design of new feed-in-tariffs through the Clean Energy Cashback Scheme which will not only pay households for the energy they export to the grid but also guarantee a minimum payment for all the electricity generated by their system.
"That is a generous alternative to the ESS scheme, and it is worth noting that the scheme in Scotland has outlasted its equivalents in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
"This Scottish Government is effectively developing the home and community renewables markets in Scotland in a way that is not just growing the market, but adapting within a difficult financial economy and utilising Scotland's competitive advantages to do so.
ENDS
NOTES
Copy of the amendment and original motion follow:
As an amendment to motion S3M-6069 in the name of Liam McArthur (Sudden End to Home Renewables Grant and Home Loans Schemes) leave out from "bring forward" to end and insert:
"target renewables generation funding where it will make the biggest impact is both fiscally responsible and forward-thinking; notes the equivalent grants scheme for electricity generating technologies under the Low Carbon Buildings Programme in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are already closed; welcomes the increased market demand generated by the Energy Saving Scotland home renewables grants and home loans scheme as intended, designed to support households in adopting renewable technologies to power their homes; considers the development and introduction of Feed-In-Tariffs (FITs) in response to this increased demand, also known as the Clean Energy Cashback Scheme, which, from 1 April 2010, to be a generous alternative to grant support that will include a minimum payment for all electricity generated by the system as well as a separate payment for the electricity exported to the grid; and finally praises the Scottish Government's commitment to effectively and efficiently provide incentives in the developing home and community renewables markets in Scotland.
S3M-6069 Liam McArthur: Sudden End to Home Renewables Grant and Home Loans Schemes—That the Parliament believes that the Scottish Government’s decision to bring forward the deadline for applications under the change to the Energy Saving Scotland (ESS) home renewables grant and home loans schemes without consultation or warning will unfairly penalise the very many innovative individuals looking to take forward microrenewables projects; is concerned that the way in which grants were removed and loans reduced under the ESS schemes risks undermining public confidence in schemes of this type in the future, and calls on the Scottish Government to reconsider how applicants and prospective applicants affected by the premature closure of the scheme can be helped.
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