2nd Special Report - The renewable energy sector in Scotland: Government Response to the Committee’s First Report of Session 2016–17

This is the government's response, published 21 October 2016.

Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.

The Government sets out that it "remains firmly committed to the renewables industry across the UK" while defending its changes to support and, in several areas, declining to adopt the Committee's specific proposals.

• On a structured response plan for any Levy Control Framework overspend, the Government says it "would be counter-productive to prescribe a specific plan of control measures" and that any plan "will clearly need to be designed in the light of the circumstances pertaining at the time".
• On onshore wind, it says curtailing further deployment was "appropriate" given its manifesto commitment. On whether onshore wind could have a market stabilising CFD, it is "considering possible options" and will set out plans for Pot 1 "in due course".
• On CFD auctions and Remote Island technology, it has "noted" the Committee's recommendations. It expects to announce details of strike prices and auction parameters for the next round "shortly", and has not yet decided which technologies the next round will include.
• On transmission charging, it says the "user pays" approach helps keep costs down and that moving to a level charge "could increase overall costs". On a long-term strategy, it is working on an emissions reduction plan, but "it is too early to give specifics".

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