Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 27 May 2025
27 May 2025 · S6 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Community-owned Energy
There are a number of things at play. The member will be aware that, after a great deal of encouragement from the Scottish Government, the UK Government has put out a consultation on community benefits from developments that are happening in renewables. That is one area in which communities can benefit. With community energy projects, there is the option for developers to go to communities and propose community benefit as a solution—or maybe an offer—as part of their good neighbour principle.
Even if that does not happen in an area, communities can come together to contact the community and renewable energy Scotland scheme to ask for advice on how they can build their own community energy plant of whatever description. The CARES model has been shown to be very successful, so much so that it is one of the reasons why I asked the UK Government to take money from the local power plan and put it into CARES rather than setting up a new agency.
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Liam McArthur)
LD
The next item of business is a debate on motion S6M-17648, in the name of Gillian Martin, on growing community-owned energy in Scotland. I invite members who...
The Acting Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero and Energy (Gillian Martin)
SNP
I am grateful for the opportunity to open today’s debate and to shine an important spotlight on community-owned energy in Scotland. The Scottish Government ...
Maurice Golden (North East Scotland) (Con)
Con
Has any consideration been given to how benefits will be spread to communities that might not, for example, be located next to a large wind farm, but might s...
Gillian Martin
SNP
There are a number of things at play. The member will be aware that, after a great deal of encouragement from the Scottish Government, the UK Government has ...
Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green)
Green
The cabinet secretary is setting out reasons why community ownership has significant benefits and there is very little dissent from that principle. Renewable...
Gillian Martin
SNP
There are a few reasons for that. Historically, communities felt that they almost had to be engineers or to have an expert in their community, and one of the...
Alex Rowley (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab)
Lab
Does the cabinet secretary believe that councils have an important role to play in supporting community organisations?
Gillian Martin
SNP
It is the essence of community wealth building and community empowerment that local authorities work with those in their communities who want to take up some...
Finlay Carson (Galloway and West Dumfries) (Con)
Con
What protection do your plans give to communities that do not want any more wind power infrastructure or any more battery storage?
The Deputy Presiding Officer
LD
Always speak through the chair.
Gillian Martin
SNP
This debate is about communities that want to have their own community-owned schemes, rather than being anything to do with planning or consents. If the memb...
Sarah Boyack (Lothian) (Lab)
Lab
I very much welcome the cabinet secretary’s outlining that support. Would she agree that we should also be thinking about support for local authorities, so t...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
LD
I can give you the time back for some of the interventions, cabinet secretary.
Gillian Martin
SNP
I am open to any suggestions that would mean having more local authority schemes. If there are any barriers in the way, I would like to investigate what they...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
LD
I advise members that we have a bit of time in hand, so those who take interventions will certainly get the time back. 14:36
Douglas Lumsden (North East Scotland) (Con)
Con
I think that there will be a lot that we agree on this afternoon. Community-owned energy is becoming an increasingly important element in our energy producti...
Gillian Martin
SNP
I can confirm that that is shared funding from both Governments. It has not been repurposed; it is new money. It is for the expansion of the capacity of CARE...
Douglas Lumsden
Con
I thank the cabinet secretary for that important clarification. We often hear that funds have gone from one place to another, so it is good to hear that that...
Audrey Nicoll (Aberdeen South and North Kincardine) (SNP)
SNP
I understand the member’s point about skills and knowledge but, as a constituency MSP, I have had a number of retired engineers from the oil and gas sector c...
Douglas Lumsden
Con
I absolutely agree with Audrey Nicoll. A lot depends on skilled people, but they are not always there for the duration because the process is so long.
Christine Grahame (Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale) (SNP)
SNP
I never thought that I would hear myself saying this, but I agree with Douglas Lumsden. It is quite difficult for certain communities to navigate their way t...
Douglas Lumsden
Con
There is more that we can do; if we can give our local authorities more help so that they, too, can help in that process, that would be a good thing. Thirdl...
Gillian Martin
SNP
I said to Mr Lumsden this morning that the legislative consent memorandum actually mandates community engagement, whereas at the moment that is voluntary. It...
Douglas Lumsden
Con
Once again, the cabinet secretary takes the bits that she likes but ignores the other parts. The Government is taking away the right to a public inquiry and ...
Gillian Martin
SNP
On a point of order, Presiding Officer. The record will show that I said in committee this morning that the right to a public inquiry stays. Mr Lumsden is de...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
LD
Cabinet secretary, could I ask you perhaps to rephrase that last comment, please?
Gillian Martin
SNP
From what Mr Lumsden has said, I fear that he is not taking on board the facts that I laid out this morning at committee.
The Deputy Presiding Officer
LD
Thank you. That was not a point of order. Please continue, Mr Lumsden.
Douglas Lumsden
Con
I am sure that everyone knows that the right to an automatic public inquiry is being removed from our local communities. That is what is set out in the new l...
Sarah Boyack (Lothian) (Lab)
Lab
I welcome today’s debate because the issue of community energy is a crucial one for us to debate. As a Labour and Co-operative member, I am proud to be a mem...