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Question Time
SCOTTISH EXECUTIVE
Enterprise, Lifelong Learning and Transport
Coal-fired Power Generation (Carbon Emissions)
To ask the Scottish
Executive what assistance its Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning
Department is giving to industry to reduce carbon emissions from coal-fired
power generation. (S2O-6884)
Christine May (Central
Fife) (Lab): To ask
the Scottish Executive what assistance its Enterprise, Transport and
Lifelong Learning Department is giving to industry to reduce carbon
emissions from coal-fired power generation. (S2O-6884)
The Deputy Minister
for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning (Allan Wilson):
This is a reserved issue. The United Kingdom Government has committed £13
million between 1999 and 2007 to developing cleaner fossil-fuel technology
research and development. The UK Government is also in the process of
developing a carbon abatement technology strategy to address the future
requirements for reducing carbon dioxide emissions from large-scale UK power
generation that uses fossil fuels, including coal.
Christine May:
Is the minister aware that evidence shows that an increase to 20 per cent in
the level of biomass that is mixed with coal for use in electricity
generation would result in a 10 million tonne reduction in CO2 emissions,
which is some 11.5 per cent of the total UK target? Given the importance of
coal-fired generation in Scotland, our opportunity for biomass co-firing and
the consequent CO2 reduction is significant. However, I am concerned that
there might be a shortage of biomass in Scotland to meet our needs. What
steps is the minister's department taking to facilitate large-scale
production of energy crops in Scotland, where we suffer from a financial
disincentive by comparison with England?
Allan Wilson:
There were a few questions in
there. First, the UK Government recognises the value of coal-fired
generation in meeting peaks in demand and in covering for supply
intermittency in other forms of generation. It is important that we have a
diverse energy supply, including coal, gas, hydro, renewable and nuclear
power.
On the issue of biomass energy crops, the difficulty in obtaining accurate
figures on Scotland's total wood-fuel resource is widely recognised. The
Forestry Commission's wood-fuel resource study will help, but we recognise
that additional
information is necessary. The Forestry Commission has recently undertaken to
consider and closely monitor whether there is a need for greater incentives
for the growing of energy crops in Scotland, as the forum for renewable
energy development in Scotland recommended. We are not too far away from an
announcement that will, I think, please the member.
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