Scotland is going where Westminster will not by setting a electricity decarbonisation target.
Scotland has committed to slashing 80% of the carbon emissions it produces from electricity generation by 2030.
The Scottish government has promised to largely decarbonise its electricity sector by 2030 through reducing emissions to 50g of carbon dioxide per kilowatt hour by 2030.
The move sets First Minister Alex Salmond at odds with the UK government in Westminster, which, in its recent Energy Bill, controversially opted not to sign up to a specific decarbonisation target.
Salmond said: “UK coalition ministers’ mixed messages on energy policy and continuing uncertainty around Electricity Market Reform, including the lack of a decarbonisation target until at least 2016, is undermining confidence and threatening investment by the supply chain.
“Having stated our ambition for a largely-decarbonised electricity supply by 2030, the Scottish Government is now setting a specific target to guide our overall policy approach and set the context for decisions on applications for electricity generation. We will now consult with stakeholders on the implementation of this ambitious target. I join the industry, again, in urging Westminster to follow suit.”
Among the measures for achieving this target, Scotland is planning to meet the equivalent of 100% of gross electricity consumption from renewables by 2020.
Much of this is likely to come from the development of offshore wind, with 10GW planned in Scottish waters in the next decade.
The Solar Power UK Roadshow, organised by Solar Power Portal's publisher Solar Media, will be visiting Scotland for a one-day event on 8 February.
Entitled Restarting the Market, the event at Hamilton Park Racecourse near Glasgow will feature presentations from leading industry figures on how to make your solar business perform better within the current challenging market conditions.
It will include briefings from top government officials on the latest policies and subsidies for solar, and insights into good practice, design and how to maximise project yields.