Energy drive

The recent announcement that the Scottish Government's home renewables grant scheme will end this month with no alternative financial support for microgeneration is deeply worrying.

That this decision comes on top of last month's ending of energy saving home loans makes a mockery of government claims to support home energy saving.

Given the Scottish Government's statutory obligations to end fuel poverty in Scotland by 2016 and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 42 per cent by the end of the decade, ministers should be offering far more support to cut household energy use, not less. To withdraw support for energy saving without giving a clear indication as to what will replace it, and when, leaves householders in limbo and the energy saving and microgeneration industry lacking the confidence to make investment decisions.

Irrespective of any delay by the UK government in announcing the detail of their microgeneration or energy saving support packages, the Scottish Government, with its more pressing fuel poverty problem and rightly more ambitious climate change targets, has an obligation to act fast and invest sufficiently. It is essential the Scottish Government put in place comprehensive financial support for energy demand reduction measures without delay.

CHAS BOOTH

Association for the Conservation of Energy

DR RICHARD DIXON

Director, WWF Scotland

JULIET SWAN

Friends of the Earth Scotland

NORMAN KERR

Director, Energy Action