Island grid connections forum

Island grid connections a “top priority” 26/6/14

Scotland’s Energy Minister Fergus Ewing and the UK Energy Secretary Ed Davey will today co-chair Scottish Island Renewables Delivery Forum.

The group marks a significant shift in focus from the establishment of policy proposals to the delivery of tangible results for the islands.

Key decision-makers from industry and the public sector are meeting in Glasgow today to agree a timetable of practical actions to connect the Scottish Islands to the mainland transmission grid and unlock their huge potential to generate clean energy.

Mr Ewing said: “Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles can make a very substantial and cost-effective contribution to meeting the UK’s legally-binding renewable energy targets, and help safeguard our energy security. These issues cut to the very heart of the current energy debate and make the case for the development of renewable energy on the Scottish islands so compelling.

“The clear imperative is to put in place an action plan to enable delivery of grid connections and successful renewables projects on the islands – this is the objective of today’s meeting.”

Analysis commissioned by the Scottish Government and DECC suggests that 4 TWh of island renewables could be developed by 2020, and around 18.5 TWh by 2030 –approximately 1% and 5% of total GB electricity demand respectively.

One key advantage of marine renewables, and of the wind resource on Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles, is that its output is less correlated with wind generation on the mainland. This helps to smooth intermittency effects elsewhere on the system.