Wind Farm Opens for 'Green Energy Day'

Sep 05 - Herald, The; Glasgow (UK)

This week will see what ministers have dubbed Green Energy Day in Scotland, as the opening of a new wind farm in East Lothian sees renewables overtake nuclear power.

The technical measure, known as "installed capacity" currently stands at 2465 megawatts for nuclear power in Scotland, and Friday's opening of Crystal Rig wind farm near Dunbar will see renewables overtake that.

But while ministers will make great play of that, they will be unable to fit a climate change bill into their first legislative programme today, which will disappoint Greens.

Sources confirmed last night that too much consultation will be needed for this bill to come forward inside the new government's first year.

There are expected to be eleven bills in today's announcement to parliament, which will be published online as a document called A Programme for Scotland for all interest groups to examine.

It will also leave space in the parliamentary timetable for member's bills, as well as announcing other action which can be taken without legislation.

"A relatively new government bringing forward its proposals is an important moment for Scotland, " said a senior aide. "It is an ordered, structured, focused approach to bringing forward our legislation, but the business of government isn't just about legislation, it's about governing."

One piece of legislation unveiled a day early was a bill to remove tolls from the Forth and Tay bridges. The one-way, Fife- bound tolls of GBP1 and 80p, raising a total of GBP15m annually, should go in the new year.

Originally published by Newsquest Media Group.