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The government politician with responsibility for energy has given "positive feedback" about his support of island renewables.

MP Angus MacNeil said he had a ‘very positive’ meeting with the minister, Greg Clark.

It comes after concerns Prime Minister Theresa May was downgrading priority on renewables when she axed the Department for Energy and Climate Change - and the role of a dedicated minister, in last week’s cabinet reshuffle. The energy brief is now merged with a newly created Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy department.

Greg Clark "was very much listening to the idea" of not going through the next round of Contract for Difference (CfD) auction - which gives a guaranteed price to electricity firms - until the EU approves a special scheme to take account of the higher export charges facing island renewables.

Mr Macneil said: "I welcome that he is listening to my representations for the islands on the issue.

“He also, to my delight, expressed a genuine interest to my invitation in coming to the Hebrides to hear about energy issues and to hear about energy potential here, particularly when I pointed out that the wind resource of the Hebrides is, as far as land goes, about the best in the world.

“I will continue to push for progress on the matter of support for island renewables and, although early days, I am pleased that this initial meeting was certainly moving in the right direction.”

 

 

New energy minister "supportive" over island renewable energy  

21 July 2016