Solar Energy UK
Immediate release
31.01.2022
In December, Solar Energy Scotland (SES) welcomed the call for Scottish Parliament to accept the policy changes needed to strengthen its solar industry. The motion put forward by MSP Fergus Ewing highlights the importance of embracing this powerful technology to meet the country’s ambitious net zero targets and address the urgency of climate change.
Since then, the motion has received support from 17 MSPs, all of whom recognise that solar is now the cheapest form of electricity and will play a key role in delivering an affordable energy mix and a clean transition.
SES urges Scottish politicians and broader industry stakeholders to back this motion and support us in the forthcoming parliamentary debate. We hope to deliver the required policy changes with key officials on board to unlock Solar’s vast potential and help deliver net zero by 2045.
Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness and Nairn constituency, stated: “Scotland’s solar energy can, and should, play a key role in providing electricity. Now is the time to make practical progress to that aim. I look forward to bringing this debate to Scottish Parliament soon.”
Thomas McMillan, Chair of Solar Energy Scotland, said: “For too long, the potential of solar in Scotland has been overlooked. We hope this motion will help the technology receive the recognition it deserves in parliament and shines a light on the policy changes that the sector needs to accelerate solar deployment in Scotland so that we catch up with the rest of Europe”.
SES argues that Scotland must adopt the necessary policies to embrace this low cost, mature technology to help tackle climate change and provide investment and jobs in communities across the country.
The policy recommendations in Scotland’s Fair Share show that between 4 and 6GW of solar energy is deliverable by 2030 with key policy barriers removed – a major increase on its existing scale of approximately 380MW.
Click here to view the motion.
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Solar Energy Scotland works to shape policy to realise the potential of solar and energy storage in Scotland and work with Government and all stakeholders to deliver on climate change obligations and net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045.