Renewable energy
If we are to make a truly positive contribution to sustainable development and climate change, then we must make greater use of renewable energy sources. Wind, waves, tides, the sun, air, wood, waste and the ground beneath us are all sources of energy which can harnessed, at a variety of scales, to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide emitted into the atmosphere. Existing and new technologies also have the potential to provide significant economic opportunities in terms of industry viability and employment.
Policy summary
Scottish Planning Policy (SPP) 6 - Renewable Energy explains that:
- Targets for the amount of energy created from renewable sources should not be regarded as a cap. They should be regarded as a minimum.
- The planning policy supports in principle the full range of renewable technologies.
- Support for renewable energy developments and the need to protect and enhance Scotland's natural and historic environment must be regarded as compatible goals.
- Development plan policies for wind farms should be based on the principle that they should be accommodated only where the technology can operate efficiently and the environmental and cumulative effects can be addressed satisfactorily.