EXCLUSIVE by Scottish Energy News
One of the top civil servants in charge of drafting Scotland’s Energy Strategy will give an update on the Scot-Govt plans – and where Scottish solar power fits in to this (or not) – at the Solar Trade Association’s ‘Scottish Solar’ conference next week.
Simon Coote, Head of Energy Solutions for the Scottish Government – is also due to speak on solar power obstacles, including the grid and business rates. See also
After hydro-energy success, Scottish solar-power chiefs now demand Scot-Govt action over business rates which are 10 times higher than England

Being held in Edinburgh on Monday, 12 June – just four days after the dust has settled on the outcome of today’s British general election, other conference sessions include:
- Solar’s role within SEEP
- Batteries
- Storage
- Electrification of heat
- BPVs (battery-powered vehicles)
- Co-locating wind with solar, and
- Financing the solar future
- How much can each sector can contribute to Scottish Government’s 2030 ‘All Energy’ renewable energy target
- How Scotland leads the UK for new and retrofit homes with solar
Other keynote speakers include John Forster (Forster Energy), Andrew McGown (Absolute Solar & Wind) Mark Hamilton (Solo Energy), Jon Cape (Ipower) and Paul Barwell, chief executive of the Solar Trade Association.
Scottish Energy News is also delighted to be media partner to the 2017 Solar in Scotland flagship conference on 12 June in Edinburgh.
Book now for this hot-ticket event: http://www.solar-trade.org.uk/sta-events/solar_in_scotland/
The conference on 12 June 2017 is also the industry’s chance to compare and contrast the ‘solar asks’ for inclusion in the draft Scottish Energy Strategy and to see if the Scot-Govt is listening. (see below for 2016 draft solar strategy- we told you first)
Scotland’s Renewable Future delivers draft new Scottish Energy Strategy**
Thanks to invaluable input from solar power players, this conference** – in May 2016 – first articulated the demand for more solar power and for de-carbonisation of heat – in advance of the draft Scottish Energy Strategy – including: –
Scottish solar asks for Scottish Energy Strategy at Scotland’s Renewable Future forum**
- De-carbonise heating and transport, with specific and measureable milestones and with pre-set annual percentages for the public sector (health, education, local government, emergency services, etc) to measure progress
- Develop and implement the following specific policies to create new employment in Scottish renewables sector
- Greater support – including specific policy goals and measurable milestones – for solar power – ‘even in Scotland!’
- Greater support – including specific policy goals and measurable milestones – for using one of Scotland’s biggest natural resources (cold water) for heat-pumps in housing. (This technology is being championed in Glasgow by Star Renewable Energy – but only after it first installed a heat-pump driven heating system in Norway)
- Clear policy, practice and delivery, on energy storage – notably battery storage for solar PV systems
- Clear policy objectives for ‘smarter grids’ and active network management – ie policy-led practice rather than ‘simple’ technology-led ‘silo-working’ – ie a ‘system-wide’ approach.