Dave Thompson MSP

Dave Thompson, SNP MSP for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch has written to the Scottish Government to ask what plans are being made to ensure that remote communities can take advantage of the considerable resources that lie off their coast.

As off shore technologies develop progress is being made with projects across Scotland, such as the proposed tidal array at Kylerhea and the recently announced wave power project off the north-east coast of Lewis, set to be the largest project using the new technology in the world.

Dave said: “As new renewables technologies approach maturity, we will see an increasing number of offshore developments such as tidal arrays, offshore wind farms and wave farms. It is therefore important that we recognise that and develop a robust framework to ensure that coastal and other communities get a fair share of community benefit in the coming years.

The Scottish Government and a number of local authorities have produced a good number of good practice guidelines and systems to deal with the distribution of community benefit for the more developed onshore renewables.

In his communication to the Scottish Government Dave has asked what consideration has been given to producing guidelines which will ensure that coastal communities benefit from off-shore developments, if any mechanisms are planned that will assist communities in acquiring equity in projects, and whether the Scottish Government will consider the establishment of an infrastructure fund which developers would contribute to, and then remote communities could bid into for development of infrastructure projects in their areas.

Adding to this, Dave said: “I believe that, as off shore technologies approach maturity, it will be important to ensure that communities derive a fair share of the vast benefits these resources will bring, and by building on our experience with on shore renewable technology we can have a robust system of community benefit in place.

Note:

Below is the communication that Dave sent to Fergus Ewing, Minister for Energy, Enterprise and Tourism

Dear Fergus,

Thank you for sight of your letter to Andrew Gilbert on 30th April regarding the proposed tidal array at Kylerhea.

I am writing to you to ask about future policy relating to the wider issue of ensuring that communities derive benefits from energy projects.

Community benefit is already quite developed for onshore wind, with guidelines being in place at Government and Local Authority level, but as new technologies approach maturity it is important that we recognise this and have appropriate guidance in place for off shore resources. What plans does the Scottish government have to ensure that our coastal communities will gain a similar community benefit as developers begin to take advantage of our many off shore resources?

Ultimately, I would like to see the Scottish Government assisting communities in taking equity in off shore projects – once the technology approaches maturity and the risks are minimised. Does the Scottish Government have plans to introduce mechanisms that will assist coastal communities in taking advantage of their resources?

I would also propose that the Scottish Government look at the establishment of an infrastructure fund which developers would contribute to, and then remote communities could bid into for development of infrastructure projects in their areas. A good deal of Scotland’s best off shore resources are in remote areas, where communities generally struggle to secure funding for major infrastructure projects. As the resources of these communities will generate profits for energy companies and providing energy for the whole of Scotland, it would seem to me to be an excellent opportunity for our remote communities to potentially secure funding for projects which could make a huge difference to quality of life.

I look forward to hearing from you.