Energetic start

It is disappointing that as we start a new year which will see further significant progress in renewable energy deployment in Scotland, Brian Wilson (“SNP’s 100 per cent renewable energy talk just hot air”, 3 January) chooses to recycle issues raised in 2011 which have been clearly shown to be unduly pessimistic.

His article contrasts sharply with news that Scottish & Southern Energy has broken through a power generation milestone by producing more electricity from onshore wind turbines than its hydro-electric dams for the first time – with plans for “significant” expansion in 2012.

Despite Brian Wilson’s assertions to the contrary, Scotland is indeed on track to meet its ambitious, but achievable, target of the equivalent of 100 per cent of electricity demand from renewables and more from other sources by 2020.

DECC figures released last month show how well we are progressing towards that target, with the first three-quarters of 2011 already pointing towards a record year for renewable energy generation in Scotland. In 2011 alone projects were switched on representing £750 million of investment in renewables, and a staggering £46 billion of investment is in the pipeline.

We are working closely with the UK government on electricity market reform and future support mechanisms for low-carbon electricity in Scotland. These are hardly the actions of a government in Scotland which would seek to break up an integrated energy market.

One point on which we do agree with Mr Wilson is the need to address the unfair charges for island and offshore generation.

The Ofgem consultative proposals published at the end of last year were a move in the right direction but failed to address the discriminatory charging levels for development of our island and offshore renewables resources, which are the largest in the EU.

We will continue to argue strongly that this is addressed so we can deliver the diversity of energy generation which is core to our renewables policy.

Fergus Ewing

Energy Minister

Scottish Government

Holyrood

Edinburgh