Scotland's Renewable Energy Policy

Discussion

Cynthia Shahan:

"The Scottish government is setting an economical and environmental standard for the world. I believe every government should model programs to meet this country’s standard. Its new program encompasses compassion, retains economic empowerment, and offers kindness to Scottish citizens. This program reaches out to those in poverty with environmental arms.

“The Scottish government has put aside £3 million for people living in fuel poverty get their own green energy supply,” Renewable Energy Focus writes.

- The money is available as interest-free loans to help people install renewable heat and electricity systems. They can borrow up to £10,000 to help with the cost of installing devices such as solar panels, micro wind turbines or biomass boilers. Renewable-heat premium payment vouchers, one-off payments to householders to help them buy green heating technologies, are also available.

Of course, this is a huge help to numerous families, and it will help them to save money for decades to come. However, it’s also a strong green energy step for the country and the world. It will help environmentally, and it will help Scotland economically.

“As well as being a huge help in fighting fuel poverty, this investment will help Scotland become greener,” said energy minister Fergus Ewing. “The wide take-up of small-scale technologies will be vital for helping us to become a truly low-carbon economy. Low-cost, low-carbon heating technologies such as solar panels and heat pumps will cut emissions and support jobs in the manufacturing and installation industry. This investment will also help to boost our micro-generation market. [...] With the UK government delaying its domestic Renewable Heat Incentive scheme until at least spring 2014; our funding boost will make sure households, especially those in fuel poverty, are able to increase their income through renewable technologies.”

This is a perfect and compatible program to work with Scotland’s goal of being completely (100%) powered by renewable electricity by 2020, complementing Scotland’s wind farms and tidal energy projects. (http://cleantechnica.com/2013/08/23/scotland-fuel-poverty-clean-energy-program/)