Fergus Ewing calls for end to uncertainty over renewable heat

Uncertainty over the future of the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) has continued for too long, according to energy minister Fergus Ewing.

The RHI, a UK government scheme which provides financial incentives to stimulate growth of renewable heat, is due to lapse in 2017 – leading Ewing to lobby Westminster for it to be continued.

His intervention follows figures showing that just one per cent of buildings owned by Scottish councils are heated by renewable energy.

The figures have been released days after projections showing Scotland is unlikely to meet it 2020 target to generate all electricity from renewable sources.

Figures shows local authorities across Scotland have invested almost £8m on 225 schools, 17 leisure centres, 17 care homes and 63 other public buildings so they are heated by renewable heat, leaving 24,806 which are not.

Ewing said: “The Scottish Government believes that development of a sustainable renewable heat industry will be a key factor in helping Scotland meet its climate change targets and provides huge business opportunities. I was pleased that 2014 saw the biggest rise in heat capacity generated from renewable sources in Scotland - an increase of 42 per cent from the year before.

“Our target remains challenging and will require us to use all the levers at our disposal, particularly the RHI. Without continuation of the Renewable Heat Incentive, or a substantive replacement, there will be a substantial impact on renewable heat businesses and jobs in technologies, with disastrous results for the future of these Scottish businesses.

“The uncertainty from the UK Government has been going on too long now and it is time to provide clarity for this industry.”

Stephanie Clark, policy manager for Scottish Renewables, said: “More than half of the energy we use in Scotland is in the form of heat, but we are failing to make the most of our renewable technologies, as these underwhelming figures show.

“While Scotland has made great progress in the development of renewable electricity, the heat sector continues to lag behind. As of 2014, the proportion of heat demand met by renewable sources stood at an estimated 3.8%, against a 2020 target of 11%. This leaves us well below the European average.”

The Scottish Government aims for 11 per cent of non-electrical heat demand to come from renewable sources by 2020.

Scottish Renewables has released a new strategy for increasing renewable heat named ‘A Vision for Low-carbon Heat in Scotland’.

Dr Sam Gardner, Head of Policy at WWF Scotland said: “Over 50 per cent of our carbon emissions and energy use comes from heating our buildings and water yet we’re still only delivering around 4 per cent of that heat from renewables.

“That’s why we need to see strong efforts from the Scottish Government to tackle the energy efficiency of our leaky homes and drive the uptake of renewable heat and district heating systems to cut bills, enhance energy security and reduce climate pollution.

“In the run up to the Holyrood election next year, we’re calling on all parties to commit to introducing a Warm Homes Act that brings clean and affordable warmth to households and businesses by growing district and renewable heat.”