Community Benefits from Net Zero Energy Developments: Analysis of responses to the consultation exercise
Report by Craigforth Consultancy and Research, commissioned by the Scottish Government, analysing the responses to the Scottish Government's consultation on Community Benefits from Net Zero Energy Developments.
Footnotes
1 Energy developer respondents noted that the UK Government’s Planning and Infrastructure Bill includes provisions for discounts on energy bills for communities living near new or significantly upgraded electricity transmission infrastructure. It was argued that the Scottish Government should ensure its approach is aligned with that of the UK Government and should not specify community benefits that duplicate these costs. It was also suggested that UK Government guidance appears to indicate that only above ground onshore infrastructure should be considered in the calculation of community benefits relating to offshore windfarms.
2 However, it was also argued that commercial fishing businesses (and also landowners) who are in receipt of compensation for commercial losses assessed as part of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process should not receive community benefits.
3 As at the previous question, energy developer respondents argued that impacts on commercial fisheries are assessed and compensated as part of the EIA process so the fishing industry should not also be eligible for community benefits. However, one such respondent noted that they propose a separate, voluntary initiative of a fisheries fund, linked to facilitating the sustainable co-existence of offshore wind energy and the fishing industry.
4 Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) is leading the Scottish Rural Communities Policy Review looking at three core elements of Scottish Government funding and support for rural communities, including CLLD: SRUC news page on shaping policy in rural communities
5 The research paper is available at: Exploring the role of the Community Benefit Society governance
6 In split ownership a community fully owns one or more turbines within a private development, and for joint venture there is built-in community representation in the governance structure. A shared revenue model does not offer any legal ownership but rather an opportunity to purchase a share of future revenue.
7 Planning conditions are subject to several tests to ensure their use is lawful.
8 One respondent who originally selected the ‘Other’ option only, went on to note that they considered that all of the listed technologies should be included. Their response has been adjusted accordingly. There were also respondents who selected ‘Other’ only, but then went on to either make general comments or to note that some technologies should not be covered. These responses have not been amended in the figures presented.
9 Please note that their further comments suggest that some respondents with a particular focus on certain technologies may have focused primarily on their area of interest at this question. Hence not identifying specific technologies to be included may equate to a ‘Not answered’ response, rather than an explicit view that they should not be covered.
10 Blue hydrogen is produced from natural gas releasing carbon dioxide (CO2), but environmental impacts are mitigated by capturing and storing the CO2. In contrast, green hydrogen is produced using renewable electricity to hydrolyse water.
11 The analysis here does not focus on the (potential) role or contribution of specific technologies other than if relevant to their inclusion in the Principles.
12 The Irish Government’s Renewable Energy Support Scheme: Good Practice Good Practice Principles Handbook for Community Benefit Funds was suggested as providing a possible template for a Scottish approach to this topic.
13 Community benefits are not compensation for impacts on communities or other interests, including commercial interests, arising from renewable installations and they are not taken into account in a decision over whether a consent for a development is granted.
14 Further detail on these examples is set out within a number of energy developer consultation responses (available from the Scottish Government’s website).
15 This analysis is presented in the Scottish Renewables response to this consultation (available on the Scottish Government’s website).