Request:
I wish to use the FoIA to ask which aspects, if any, of the processes involved in bringing a ScotWind project to completion are or will be under the control of the UK government?
Response:
Crown Estate Scotland does not hold this information, however, in line with our duty to assist under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002, we have collated a response providing a summary of information on Government involvement with ScotWind to our best knowledge.
There are three aspects of ScotWind that will/may include involvement from the Scottish or UK Government:
- Consenting
Marine Scotland, a directorate of Scottish Government, is the regulator responsible for the marine licences and Section 36 energy consent applications (https://www.gov.scot/publications/applications-variation-section-36-consents/) which are required to build an offshore wind farm.
2. Finance
Projects may be required to raise debt to finance the construction of an offshore windfarm – the UK Government have the ability to place specific financial institutions under sanction – the developer in question could not then access that financial institution for funding.
3. We are expecting that the ScotWind developers will seek to enter into an agreement with the UK Government under the ‘Contracts for Difference’ scheme (“CfDs”). Contracts for Difference are designed to provide stability for Low Carbon generators to encourage the move towards a secure, diverse low carbon electricity supply in the UK.
More information on this can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/contracts-for-difference/contract-for-difference
