UK government’s changes to the feed-in tariff mean the effective end of hydro in Scotland, according to Scottish Renewables.
Scottish Renewables senior policy manager Joss Blamire said: “Government has ignored clear evidence provided by industry that proposed cuts would curtail development and slashed hydro tariffs even further than proposed, in some cases by up to 45%.
“With the vast majority of hydro projects in Scotland, reductions at this level will now mean a recent renaissance in the sector north of the border will effectively come to an end.”
Blamire added that the FiT changes also hit onshore wind.
“Onshore wind suffers twice. Firstly this technology – which at this scale allows businesses, particularly in rural areas, to take control of their own energy bills – sees support through the FiT scheme fall by up to 65%.
“Secondly, caps to the number of turbines which can be built, hidden in the detail of the review, mean, for example, that just three 50-100kW machines and three 1,500kW machines can be deployed every three months across the UK, scuppering plans for community and locally-owned developments.”
However, he welcomed the government’s decision to reduce the FiT cuts for the solar sector and the retention of pre-accreditation for some projects.
“It is encouraging to see that government has listened to industry and retained pre-accreditation for solar PV and wind generators over 50kW and all hydro and anaerobic digestion generators,” he said.
Image: Loch Sloy hydro station in Scotland (James Hearto, Wikimedia Commons)
