A leading lawyer and public sector expert will today call for the UK government to revise its legislation and give Scottish local authorities the power to sell the electricity they generate from renewables back to the National Grid.

And he will claim that the current legislation is hindering the Scottish government achieve its renewable energy targets for 50% of electricity to be generated from renewable sources by 2020.

Paul Minto, Head of Public Services at leading international law firm, HBJ Gateley Wareing, will make the call as the firm hosts a major joint seminar in Edinburgh with PricewaterhouseCoopers, which aims to provide advice to the public sector on how they can take maximum advantage of renewable energy projects.

The seminar will be attended by Scottish local authorities and other public sector bodies such as SEPA.

The Local Government Act (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976, as amended by the Energy Act 1989, includes a provision preventing local authorities from selling electricity which is produced otherwise than in association with heat.

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This is restricting the potential for local authorities to play a full role in the development of renewable heat and electricity and Paul Minto has called for the UK government to urgently revise its position on this.

The Scottish government has a target of 50% of electricity to be generated from renewable sources, such as wind, wave, hydro, biomass and solar, by 2020 and the UK has a target to generate a third of its electricity from renewable sources by this same date. The Scottish government’s Climate Change Act also sets an 80% reduction in carbon emissions by 2050.

For the public sector to take advantage of renewable projects and make a financial return on these is clearly beneficial, generating investment and regenerating areas. And there are tremendous opportunities for the public sector should they go down this road. As an example, Dundee Renewables is a strategic partnership incorporating the private, public and academic sectors, working together to build a renewable energy industry sector for Dundee. The city also has the largest urban wind turbines in Europe operating at the Michelin Tyre Factory and the Dundee Sun City project aims to establish Dundee as Scotland's first solar city.

Commenting on the call, Paul Minto, Head of Public Services at HBJ Gateley Wareing said:

"Local authorities have a full role to play in the development of renewable heat and electricity but legislation is currently hindering them in this process. If we are to reach the renewable energy targets set and realise the full potential of renewables, not only in terms of energy generation, but also in terms of job creation and regeneration, it is vital that a legislative change is undertaken by the UK government."

Other speakers at the seminar will include John Cowan from PricewaterhouseCoopers who will look at biomass and the implications for public sector bodies, especially when it comes to looking at air quality and waste.

(GK/KMcA)