Written question asked by Lord Vinson (Conservative), in the House of Lords. It was answered by Lord Marland (Conservative) on Wednesday, 23 June 2010.

Energy: Wind Turbines

Question: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the cost of transmitting electricity from Scotland to London was taken into account when the economic viability of wind turbines in Scotland was assessed.

Answer: The Renewable Energy Strategy (RES) published in July 2009 considered the scenario for delivering about 30 per cent of the UK's electricity from renewable sources, the majority of which is expected to come from wind power. The RES included impact assessments that included an assessment of the costs and benefits of the proposed policies, including for renewable electricity. These assessments took account of cost estimates for connection to the grid (onshore and offshore), and for additional grid reinforcements as outlined in the March 2009 Electricity Networks Strategy Group report Our Electricity Transmission Network: A Vision for 2020, including those from Scotland to England. Transmission charges and grid connection costs were included in the technology cost assumptions for onshore and offshore wind. In respect of transmission charges, no differentiation was made between generation in different parts of the UK. A copy of the RES and accompanying impact assessments are available at: http://decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/what_we_do/uk_supply/energy_mix/renewable/res/res.aspx. A copy of the Electricity Networks Strategy Group 2020 report is available on the ENSG website at: http://www.ensg.gov.uk/index.php?article=126.

Secondary information