Scottish Renewables is calling on the government and Ofgem to reform what it said are “volatile and unpredictable” charges that penalise Scottish renewable projects.
The trade body said that a solution to the Transmission Network use of System charges (TNUoS) should be created in the spirit of COP26, with this ensuring that Scotland’s renewable energy industry can contribute to the reduction of carbon emissions in line with the country’s net zero targets.
In turn, this would help to deliver a lasting legacy to the aims of COP26, the trade body said.
Currently, renewable generators located in Scotland pay higher costs to connect their electricity to the grid than those in other parts of Great Britain, with Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) – which has also campaigned for reforms – having previously given the example of a wind farm in the north of Scotland paying £5.50 per unit of energy, while an equivalent wind farm in Wales will pay £2.80 per unit.
Alongside this, SSEN found earlier this year that 84% of its stakeholders felt that the current TNUoS charges act as a barrier to the delivery of their renewable projects in Scotland.
“These rules were designed 30 years ago and are no longer doing what they are supposed to do,” Claire Mack, chief executive of Scottish Renewables, said.
“TNUoS remains enormously destructive to Scotland’s offshore wind industry which has access to 25% of Europe’s offshore wind resource, and of course our climate ambitions.”
The renewed calls come off the back of consistent campaigning against the TNUoS charges by the trade body, which currently represents around 265 member organisations.
