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Offshore wind needs more support

Reacting to the news that only one Scottish offshore wind farm has received a UK Government power contract, Dr Richard Dixon, Director of Friends of the Earth Scotland, said:

“The Contract for Difference system is the new way of deciding how much of what sort of renewable energy ends up on the electricity grid. These results are very disappointing. Granting a contract to only one Scottish offshore windfarm, and only one other in the rest of the UK, shows how little interest the current UK Government has in cleaning up our energy supply.

“Climate change and energy security concerns mean that Scotland and the UK need to make a rapid transition away from fossil fuels to clean, green energy. Scotland has huge potential for power from offshore wind farms and this technology is key in reducing carbon emissions.

“Meanwhile, the UK Government is happy to bend over backwards and spend tens of billions to support risky nuclear schemes like Hinkley Point C. Today’s announcement is another nail in the coffin of the Coalition Government’s ridiculous claim to being the greenest government ever.”

The announcement grants support to the Neart na Gaoithe offshore windfarm in the Firth of Forth and a scheme off East Anglia run by ScottishPower. It was widely expected that an offshore windfarm in the Moray Firth would be supported but this is not the case.

ENDS

Notes to Editors

1. Details of wind, solar and other renewables schemes to be supported are here: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/407059/Contracts_for_Difference_-_Auction_Results_-_Official_Statistics.pdf
2. Friends of the Earth Scotland is:
* Scotland's leading environmental campaigning organisation
* An independent Scottish charity with a network of thousands of supporters and active local groups across Scotland
* Part of the largest grassroots environmental network in the world, uniting over 2 million supporters, 74 national member groups, and some 5,000 local activist groups.
www.foe-scotland.org.uk