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Scottish Government response

Thank you for your contribution to the draft Energy Strategy consultation which closed earlier in the year.

Today we have published those consultation responses alongside the analysis report and reports of the other four consultations undertaken earlier in the year – namely:

 We have also published a further consultation on Local Heat & Energy Efficiency Strategies and Regulation of District Heating. This consultation has been informed by the one that closed earlier this year and contains more detailed proposals.

 As was announced by the First Minister in this year’s Programme for Government, the final Energy Strategy will be published by the end of this year. Taking account of the consultation feedback it will set out a vision for Scotland’s energy future to 2050. We will also publish our final Onshore Wind Policy Statement by the end of 2017.

 

Ineos and Fracking

Prior to the recent June general election it looked certain that a new Tory government would further ease the mineral planning regulations in order to ‘liberalise’ the exploration and extraction environment for prospective oil and/or gas shale fracturing activities. One particular beneficiary of such a move would have been the petrochemical giant Ineos which over the past two years has continued to add considerable gas and oil infrastructure and gas onshore as well as offshore deposits to its Scottish monopoly portfolio.

 However, the subsequent hung parliament has put such legislative moves on hold, although despite prevailing unfavourable market conditions outlined below, Ineos continues to lobby hard with a Scottish government ever attuned to the interests of corporate power. Brian Parkin explains.  Read the whole article here.

31192551434_199f2715b8_kImage by Pete Cannell – first session on new Scottish Parliament, licensed as CC0, Public Domain