To ask the Scottish Executive what steps have been taken to improve energy efficiency and promote the use of micro-renewable electricity generation.
As one of the Scottish Government''s 10 Energy Pledges, energy efficiency is a key element of both our economic recovery programme and our climate change response. The Scottish Government is taking action across all sectors, aimed at reducing energy demand, cutting carbon emissions and contributing to sustainable economic growth.
The Climate Change (Scotland) Act commits us to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 42% by 2020 and by 80% by 2050, and includes a mandatory provision to publish an Energy Efficiency Action Plan and report on its progress annually to parliament.
The Energy Efficiency Action Plan consultation paper will be released this month, with the plan being published following the consultation. The consultation paper will outline action that we have taken to date on energy efficiency and microgeneration, and seek feedback on what more we all could be doing.
We are also working with the energy companies to leverage more delivery of the Carbon Emissions Reduction Target (CERT), the main mechanism we have for improving domestic energy efficiency, and the insulation work that goes with this. CERT measures in Scotland are being delivered in a way that is complementary to our Energy Assistance Package. We continue to fund the Energy Saving Trust and Carbon Trust to provide energy efficiency advice to all sectors and have now introduced our area-based Home Insulation Scheme.