Scotland should set a new “ambitious” target of generating half of its total electricity, heat and transport demand from renewables by 2030, according to campaigners. It would require a threefold increase in current green energy generation, Scottish Renewables said as it launched a “manifesto” for political parties to adopt ahead of May’s Holyrood election.
Campaigners are calling on householders to help elderly friends and relatives find cheaper energy deals after finding that almost nine in 10 bill payers did not switch in the last year. The new figure from Ofgem, based on data from household meters, found that 88% of energy customers have not switched in the last year despite widespread advice that doing so can save hundreds of pounds. A separate poll for Big Energy Saving Week, a joint campaign with Energy Saving Trust, Department of Energy and Climate Change and Citizens Advice, found 45% of people did not believe they could save money by switching and 75% of people who did thought it would be £100 or less.
Shell’s decision to pull out of drilling in the Arctic should be a turning point in the fight against climate change, green campaigners have said. Environmentalists also called on the company, which recently left the high-profile Prince of Wales’ Corporate Leaders’ Group on climate change amid the Arctic drilling controversy, to set out how it was going to move its business model to one that was compatible with curbing global temperature rises. Campaigners fear an oil spill from Arctic offshore drilling could be very damaging to the environment and exploiting the region for fossil fuels would undermine efforts to tackle climate change.
Campaigners were celebrating last night after the controversial Brown Muir windfarm plans were rejected by councillors. But SNP members of the local authority were facing a backlash from protesters amid accusations they put their party before the people by voting to back the scheme. The 12-turbine project tabled by Vento Ludens for a site between Elgin and Rothes attracted more than 1,300 objections. By contrast, Moray Council received just 20 submissions supporting the proposed development. The local authority’s planning and regulatory services committee blocked the application yesterday on the casting vote of chairman Chris Tuke.