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EDINBURGH, Scotland, May 17, 2006 (Refocus
Weekly)
The Scottish Executive has released a Planning
Advice Note to promote the use of micro-renewables from solar
panels, small wind turbines and earth energy heat pumps.
“The new advice sets out in simple, straight-forward terms what
options are available for micro-renewables and what you need to do,”
says communities minister Malcolm Chisholm on PAN 45. “Planning has
a vital role to ensure we get this right at the outset so that we
can harness all the benefits with minimal impact on our built and
natural heritage.”
“Planning permission is not always required but, at all times, we
have to ensure that micro-renewables equipment is designed and sited
appropriately,” he explains. “We want to raise awareness and inform
developers, planners and communities of the various micro-renewable
technologies; the Advice highlights good practice for installing
systems and aims to promote their use across Scotland.”
The Scottish Executive has set a target for 40% of electricity in
Scotland to come from renewables by 2020. The new advice (Planning
for Micro Renewables) is an annex to Planning Advice Note 45, and
covers solar panels, small-scale wind turbines and geothermal heat
pumps which have “become a more attractive prospect to people
because of falling costs and the opportunity to save on fuel bills,”
the document explains.
Microgeneration is the generation of less than 50 kW of electricity
and production of less than 45 kW of heat from zero- or low-carbon
sources. The Energy Saving Trust says a recent survey indicates that
almost 90% of homeowners would consider installing micro-renewables
technologies in their home.
“Scotland has enormous natural renewable sources and Scottish firms
are at the forefront of this new technology; there are huge
opportunities to cut down harmful carbon emissions,” adds Chisholm.
“We are currently undertaking root and branch modernisation of our
planning system so that it meets the needs of a modern Scotland, and
this new advice is very much part of that process ... a plain
English guide for the public, planners and developers so that they
make best use of this exciting technology.”
The guidance was launched by the minister as he toured a company in
Penicuik, Renewable Devices, which was set up four years ago and,
with £45,000 in funding from the Scottish Executive, has developed
the Swift system which it claims is the world's first silent
horizontal axis rooftop wind turbine.
“Scots are keen to install their own micro-renewable devices,
whether it is at home or to support their business, but many have
been put off by how complicated it can be,” explains Maf Smith of
Scottish Renewables. “The advice published by the Scottish Executive
today should go a long way to easing the concerns of people who want
to reduce the impact of rising energy bills while doing their bit to
tackle climate change by installing micro renewable devices.”
"Importantly, the advice will also help local authorities unlock the
potential of micro-renewables in their region by providing them with
the information they need to make good decisions,” he adds.
The Executive has commissioned research into the extent of permitted
development rights, which remove the need to apply for planning
permission, and the scope for increasing these for micro-renewables.
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