The renewables sector in Scotland has been left in "disarray" due to UK Government policy, according to industry body Scottish Renewables.

It is understood the topic was discussed at a Scottish Parliament evidence session with the Economy, Energy and Tourism Committee on 09 December.

Presenting evidence to the committee, Niall Stuart, Chief Executive of Scottish Renewables, said: "The various cuts, delays and removals of support schemes for the renewable energy industry has, in many ways, left the sector in disarray."

Mr Stuart told MSP's sudden policy changes "run counter to the UK Government's overall ambitions to decarbonise the electricity sector at the lowest cost to consumers."


He added: "Onshore wind and solar are already the cheapest forms of low carbon energy to deploy at scale and some 14% cheaper than the deal given to the new Hinkley Point nuclear power station.

"We need to know what role both governments see for renewables in decarbonising the electricity sector and our economy. Right now, the industry is feeling its way in the dark when it comes to knowing where those ambitions lie."

Recently, the sector has faced a number of cuts, including:

• The closure of the Renewables Obligation to onshore wind a year earlier than planned – putting up to 2GW of projects, and £3 billion of investment, in Scotland at risk.

• A consultation on removing pre-accreditation for small-scale Feed-in Tariff projects, and the delaying of the next Contracts for Difference allocation round – the successor to the Renewables Obligation.

• The ending of the Enterprise Investment Scheme – an incentive for those investing in energy projects such as the Edinburgh Solar Co-operative.

Mr Stuart called on both the UK and Scottish Government's to provide the renewable energy sector with a sense of ambition over the coming decades.

(LM)