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Renewables News in Scotland – Round-Up
Published 01 May 2012 in Climate Change
Community and Renewable Energy Loan Scheme (CARES) launched; Community Benefit register launched; community and locally owned renewable energy database and report published, and; VisitScotland research shows tourism not affected by wind farms.
CARES Loan Scheme Opens
Community organisations and rural businesses are being invited to apply to the current round of the government’s Community and Renewable Energy Loan Scheme (CARES), which supports community energy renewable projects before they reach the planning stage. More than £4.5 million in loans have previously been issued to projects through the CARES scheme. Individual projects can receive loans of up to £150,000 to cover 95% of agreed costs, and are also eligible to receive free local advice and support. Priority is given to projects which give the highest value of benefit to their local communities. More.
Community Benefit register launched
A new public register of community benefits from all renewable technologies was launched in late April. The register will be designed to accommodate all scale of development from single farm based turbines upwards, in order to encourage transparency in local benefits and help communities to negotiate with commercial developers. The register will operate on a voluntary basis and will be maintained on behalf of Scottish Government by Community Energy Scotland. More.
Community and locally owned renewable energy database and report published
The Energy Saving Trust has produced a new database and report for the Scottish Government, which details community and locally owned renewable energy installations in Scotland. The report found that, at the end of June 2011, an estimated minimum of 147MW of community and locally owned renewable energy capacity was operational in Scotland, spread over a total of over 3,400 individual renewable energy installations. More.
Research shows tourism not affected by wind farms
Independent research commissioned by VisitScotland has shown that the presence of a wind farm would have little impact on a decision to holiday in Scotland. Published on 24 April, the omnibus study incorporated the views of some 3000 interviewees and found that 83% of Scotland respondents stated their decision to holiday in the UK would not be affected by the presence of a wind farm. The research also reported that 80% of Scotland respondents disagreed, or felt neutral, that wind farms spoil the look of the Scottish countryside. More.