Scotland plans emergency wind energy talks

EDINBURGH, Scotland, June 29 (UPI) -- Scotland announced plans to hold an emergency summit in early July to discuss a British decision to end government support for the onshore wind industry.

Scottish Energy Minister Fergus Ewing said British ministers need to "clarify the position regarding onshore wind projects already in the pipeline, and how many of them can expect to continue to receive investment during the grace period before funding is cut off."

London said $1.2 billion in government support last year helped onshore wind power generate 5 percent of total British electricity and bring the region closer to its climate change goals. With momentum building, the government announced plans to end public subsidies for new onshore wind farms starting in April 2016.

With 70 percent of the region's onshore wind situated in Scottish territory, Ewing said the government in Edinburgh "strongly disagrees" with the decision to end subsidies.

Scotland has one of the more ambitious low-carbon agendas in the world. The Scottish minister last week summoned his British counterpart, Amber Rudd, to Edinburgh to explain the decision.

Ewing said the decision could cost the Scottish wind energy sector more than $4.5 billion in investments.

Scotland's failed 2014 bid for independence from the United Kingdom hinged on powering the nation with renewables while deriving funding from revenue generated from offshore oil and natural gas.

"The recent announcement to close the renewables obligation to onshore wind has caused a huge amount of disquiet within the industry, and threatens significant levels of investment, employment and renewable power generation," Niall Stuart, chief executive of industry group Scottish Renewables, said in a statement.