NEW ‘PUBLIC POWER LEAGUE’ REVEALS LOCAL AUTHORITIES LEADING THE CHARGE ON ENERGY
The STUC has today published the latest ‘Public Power League Tables’ showing the progress made by local authorities across Scotland to develop their own energy projects. The league tables have been updated with the data for 2023 to highlight which councils have moved up or down the league and put the spotlight on the councils that added no new projects.
The league tables show Aberdeenshire Council remains in the top spot for capacity, with South Lanarkshire overtaking Stirling Council for the number of installations. Elsewhere in the tables, there were only small changes in capacity. However, Falkirk rose 3 places and East Renfrewshire rose 6 as each made strong progress in the number of installations they own.
Municipal energy can increase revenues for local authorities, reduce energy bills, and tackle fuel poverty. At the same time, public control can support a Community Wealth Building approach by ensuring local supply chains are prioritised to bring significant multiplier effects for jobs.
The STUC, Scotland’s largest trade union body, are calling on all councils to redouble their efforts to capture the opportunity of public energy in their area and have called for further support for local authority areas that are falling behind in capacity and energy installations.
The news comes as the Scottish Government recently announced a new £1.5m Community Energy Generation Growth Fund to support community groups in new energy projects. The STUC is calling on the Scottish Government to establish a similar and larger fund for local authorities to access, as well as tasking the National Energy Development Agency with sharing capacity and best practice for councils.
Commenting, STUC General Secretary Roz Foyer said:
“There is good progress being made by local authorities who are taking charge of the energy transition. Aberdeenshire Council have stretched their lead at the top when it comes to capacity, with South Lanarkshire claiming first place this year for the number of installations.
“The vast majority of Scotland’s renewable energy, and the potential wealth they bring, are held in private hands. Our Public Power League tables show which local authorities are stepping in to secure the maximum benefit including jobs, lower bills, and extra revenue for people in their area.
“Every councillor in Scotland should be redoubling their efforts to build local authority energy ownership. No council should be standing still in these tables, but the Scottish Government should also target a rapid expansion of resources and capacity in local authorities for these projects.”
END
Notes to editors:
1. The top and bottom 5 local authorities for capacity and number of installations is copied below. The full league tables can be viewed here: https://www.stuc.org.uk/projects-jt-greenjobs/. Graphics of full league tables attached.
2. The Local Authorities which added no new capacity or installations between the figures reported for 2022 and 2023 are: Scottish Borders, West Lothian, Shetland Islands, South Ayrshire, Midlothian, Dundee City, Clackmannanshire.
3. The Community Energy Generation Growth Fund was announced on the 15th May 2024: https://www.gov.scot/news/community-energy-generation-growth-fund/
4. The data for local authority owned energy includes a category for projects which are located across several local authorities and the proportion for each local authority is unknown. For the purposes of these tables, this category has been removed.
5. Figures for local authority energy are tracked by their capacity in megawatts, and per number of installations. Rural local authorities have an advantage in their renewable energy capacity potential, due to generally greater access to wind and wood resources. Local authorities with the greatest number of installations are typically a result of heat pump and Solar PV programmes in social housing developments.
6. The League Tables are based on data provided by the Energy Savings Trust in their Community and Locally Owned Energy in Scotland report published on 5th April 2024: https://energysavingtrust.org.uk/report/community-and-locally-owned-energy-in-scotland-2023-report/.
7. Voice notes available upon request
LEAGUE TABLE (TOP AND BOTTOM 5)
|
Pos |
Change |
Local Authority |
Capacity (MW) |
|
1st |
= |
Aberdeenshire |
275 |
|
2nd |
= |
Highland |
115 |
|
3rd |
2+ |
Dumfries & Galloway |
74 |
|
4th |
1- |
Perth & Kinross |
57 |
|
5th |
1+ |
Fife |
52 |
|
28th |
= |
Dundee City |
5 |
|
29th |
= |
Falkirk |
5 |
|
30th |
= |
East Renfrewshire |
2 |
|
31st |
= |
Inverclyde |
2 |
|
32nd |
= |
Clackmannanshire |
1 |
|
Pos |
Change |
Local Authority |
No of installations |
|
1st |
+1 |
South Lanarkshire |
2920 |
|
2nd |
-1 |
Stirling |
2440 |
|
3rd |
= |
Fife |
2150 |
|
4th |
= |
Scottish Borders |
1540 |
|
5th |
= |
Moray |
1510 |
|
28th |
-1 |
Clackmannanshire |
120 |
|
29th |
-1 |
South Ayrshire |
110 |
|
30th |
-1 |
Aberdeen City |
100 |
|
31st |
-1 |
East Ayrshire |
70 |
|
32nd |
-1 |
Inverclyde |
70 |
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