A senior manager at a firm which has developed two renewable energy projects in South Lanarkshire has condemned as ‘perverse’ the cuts in offshore wind-energy subsidies announced by the UK-govt.
Speaking at an event in the Scottish Parliament Colin Anderson, Development Director, Banks Renewables – which is based in Durham – said that the future of the renewable energy industry “is highly uncertain at the present time due to the negative policies towards onshore wind being implemented by the current UK Government.
“It seems perverse that at time when there is huge uncertainty about our energy future and how we can hit our legal commitments to decarbonise our economy in a cost effective way, that the UK Government is turning its back on a readily available source of low cost energy from a proven and reliable technology – onshore wind!”
He also highlighted new figures confirming the impact renewable energy projects make in local communities – with two existing projects in South Lanarkshire set to deliver at least £69 million in local economic benefits and directly supporting more than 220 jobs.
SNP MSP Christina McKelvie – who hosted the Holyrood event – commented: “These are yet more comments from leading business figures condemning the Tory government’s cuts to support for onshore wind projects, and come further to Tuesday’s pointed criticism from the CBI.
“It’s time that David Cameron halted his anti-business renewable energy policy and ensured that all projects already in the planning process are given the support they are due.
“The figures produced by Mr Anderson on the impact of just two onshore wind projects in South Lanarkshire are staggering – affecting tens of millions of pounds of local economic benefit and directly supporting hundreds of jobs.
“The UK Government needs to listen to the call from the First Minister and ensure a fair grace period for onshore wind developments that are being hit by plans to close the Renewables Obligation a year early.”
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