Forthbank Wind Energy Development - Partnerships for Renewables

Forthbank Wind Energy Development
targets for reductions of greenhouse gases, which are the main causes of climate
change. It also helps to promote a secure, diverse, competitive energy supply
market, stimulates the UK renewables energy industry and makes a contribution to
rural development. The banding regime came into effect in April 2009.
• This requirement is implemented under the Renewables Obligation (Scotland) Order
(ROS) on all licensed electricity suppliers in Scotland. In addition, The Scottish
Government has recently set a target for the supply of 80% 1 of Scotland's electricity
from renewable sources by 2020, recognising the extent of Scotland's important
renewables resource, with an interim milestone of 31% by 2011.
6.2.2 These policies are implemented through the planning system by the Scottish Planning Policy
(SPP). SPP was published in February 2010 and replaces all of the previous topic-based
SPPs (which are now revoked) into a single consolidated document. The SPP does not
represent any review or change of policy, but presents policy in a shorter, clearer and more
focused form.
6.2.3 The SPP subject policies on renewable energy (paragraphs 182 to 199) set out how the
planning system should manage the process of encouraging, approving and implementing
renewable energy proposals when preparing development plans and determining planning
applications.
6.2.4 A detailed assessment of the relevant EU, UK and Scottish climate change and renewable
energy policy framework is contained within Chapter 5 and the separate supporting Planning
Statement which accompanies the planning application.
6.3 Methodology and Baseline
6.3.1 There is no specific guidance or policy for evaluating the effects of renewable energy schemes
on climate change and energy generation. Therefore the approach that has been adopted
combines a quantitative evaluation of the operational benefits of the scheme, in terms of the
level of electrical generation anticipated and the reduction in level of emissions of CO 2 this has
the potential to avoid compared with other generation sources, with a qualitative assessment of
the significance of this contribution towards meeting regional targets. A qualitative approach
has also been adopted to evaluate the effects of the scheme during construction and decommission.
6.3.2 Information on the average electricity usage of households is taken from The Digest of Energy
Statistics (2010) 2 .
6.3.3 The conversion of this to a level of CO 2 emissions avoided is made by combining the expected
average annual generation of electricity from the site with a level of emissions avoidance per
kWh. The CO 2 avoidance level used is that endorsed by the Advertising Standards Authority
in September 2008 3 based on the assumption that the energy generated by the wind turbines
displaces Combined Cycle Gas Turbines and an average mix generation of 430gCO 2 /kWh.
6.3.4 The level of CO 2 emissions avoided is dependant on the scale of the scheme proposed. The
evaluation of the benefit is presented in terms of the scheme output relative to current regional
November 2010 Chapter 6 Page 2
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