- Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for Aberdeen Central, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 26 August 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 17 September 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive when it was informed by Scottish Natural Heritage that it could not fund the pilot project to develop a national data-sharing centre.
Answer
Scottish Natural Heritage informed Scottish Government officials on 2 September 2010 that it would not be able to fund the data sharing project submitted by Aberdeen University.
- Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for Aberdeen Central, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 19 August 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 15 September 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the commitment to publish the Energy Storage Study in summer 2010 as detailed in the renewables action plan update of 28 July 2010, when it expects the study to be published.
Answer
We expect the Energy Storage and Management Study to be published during October 2010.
- Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for Aberdeen Central, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 19 August 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 15 September 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to enter into discussions with the relevant UK bodies to review the threshold for installed capacity for applications for offshore wind farms and generating stations wholly or mainly driven by water, such as hydroelectric, wave or tidal generating stations, as laid out under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989.
Answer
On 8 September 2010 the Scottish Government launched a consultation seeking views on its proposal to raise the Section 36 Consents threshold for onshore hydropower schemes from over 1 Megawatt (MW) to over 50 MW. The consultation welcomes views from a wide range of stakeholders and is open until 1 December 2010.
There is currently no intention to review the threshold for offshore wind farms or marine (wave and tidal) applications.
- Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for Aberdeen Central, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 19 August 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 9 September 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the disbanding of the Marine Energy Group of the Forum for Renewable Energy Development in Scotland, what external body will provide ministers with advice on marine energy outwith the Pentland Forth and Orkney Waters.
Answer
Issues related to offshore and marine energy developments are discussed at the Offshore Energy Programme Board, the Marine Strategy Forum, the Scottish Coastal Forum and the Offshore Wind Industry Group. The Marine Energy Group has completed its remit, although an offshoot group is continuing work on the Pentland Firth.
Marine Scotland is also holding consultation events with marine sectors, NGOs, planning authorities and the public through a set of meetings and regional workshops for the offshore wind strategic environmental assessment and draft plan. We will undertake the same open and transparent process for marine renewables development.
- Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for Aberdeen Central, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 16 August 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 6 September 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list those applications for extensions to existing hydro energy developments received since 7 December 2007 which have been determined under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989, giving the name of the project, the date of the application and the mega watt capacity of the development.
Answer
No applications received since 7 December 2007 for consent to extend existing hydro energy developments have been determined under Section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989.
- Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for Aberdeen Central, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 16 August 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 6 September 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list those applications for new hydro energy developments received since 7 December 2007 which have been referred to a public local inquiry, giving the name of the project, the date of the application and the mega watt capacity of the development.
Answer
No applications for consent under Section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 for hydro energy developments received since 7 December 2007 have been referred to a public local inquiry.
Applications for hydro developments of under 1 MW are dealt with by local planning authorities and the information is not held centrally.
- Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for Aberdeen Central, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 16 August 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 6 September 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list those applications for extensions to existing wind energy developments received since 7 December 2007 which have been determined under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989, giving the name of the project, the date of the application and the mega watt capacity of the development.
Answer
Applications that have been received since 7 December 2007 for consent under Section 36 of the Electricity act 1989, to extend existing wind energy developments and that have been determined by Scottish ministers are:
| Name | Date of Application | Mega watt capacity |
| Rothes wind farm Extension | 27 December 2007 | 37 MW |
| Whitelee wind farm Extension | 23 April 2008 | 130 MW |
| Millenium wind farm Extension | 6 January 2009 | 15 MW |
| Kilbraur wind farm Extension | 13 March 2009 | 20 MW |
| Whitelee wind farm Extension phase 2 | 30 May 2009 | 162 MW |
- Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for Aberdeen Central, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 16 August 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 6 September 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list those applications for new renewable energy developments received since 7 December 2007, other than wind, hydro and marine, which have been determined under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989, giving the name of the project, the date of the application and the mega watt capacity of the development.
Answer
No applications received since 7 December 2007 for consent to develop new renewable energy developments other than wind, hydro and marine, have been determined under Section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989.
- Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for Aberdeen Central, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 16 August 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 6 September 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list those applications for new wind energy developments received since 7 December 2007 which have been neither referred to a public local inquiry nor determined, giving the name of the project, the date of the application and the mega watt capacity of the development.
Answer
Applications for consent under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 received for new wind energy developments since 7 December 2007 that have been neither referred to a public local inquiry nor determined by Scottish ministers are:
| Name | Date of Application | Mega Watt Capacity |
| Earlshaugh | 25 June 2008 | 108 MW |
| Harelaw | 19 May 2009 | 120 MW |
| Viking | 19 May 2009 | 550 MW |
| Wester Dodd | 7 September 2009 | 79.2 MW |
| Rowantree | 3 February 2010 | 69 MW |
| Kilgallioch | 16 March 2010 | 396 MW |
| Galawhistle | 22 March 2010 | 55 MW |
Applications for wind energy developments under 50 MW are dealt with by local planning authorities and the information is not held centrally.
- Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for Aberdeen Central, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 16 August 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 6 September 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list those applications for extensions to existing hydro energy developments received since 7 December 2007 which have been neither referred to a public local inquiry nor determined, giving the name of the project, the date of the application and the mega watt capacity of the development.
Answer
One application which has not been referred to public local inquiry and is yet to be determined has been received since 7 December 2007 for consent under Section 36 of the Electricity act. This application is for:
| Name | Date of Application | Mega Watt Capacity |
| Sloy Pumping Station | 4 September 2009 | 152.5 MW |
The application for Sloy pumping station is to extend and convert the existing power generating station to a pumping station. The current capacity of 152.5 MW would not change.
