Industries join call for Scottish solar power reforms

Companies from a range of sectors have backed calls from the solar industry for urgent changes to Scottish planning law and tax rules.

More than 20 firms and trade bodies have written to ministers arguing that business rates and permitted development rights must be reformed.

A joint letter states that businesses are currently "unable to deploy solar energy at the necessary speed".

It argues changes would help firms cut energy costs and decarbonise.

The signatories include representatives from agriculture, warehousing, distilling, food and solar.

The letter calls on the Scottish government to allow the installation of solar panels with up to 5MW capacity without having to seek planning permission. The current "permitted development" threshold is 50kW.

It states: "This limit artificially constrains the potential for commercial rooftop solar.

"The space of a roof will automatically constrain the maximum size of a solar power project, which in any case will be subject to all other relevant planning requirements."

The letter, which was drawn up by trade body Solar Energy Scotland, also calls on ministers to exempt firms from paying non-domestic rates on new solar panels on a 12-year rolling basis, as is the case in England.

"Business owners who install solar should not pay a premium for decarbonising their business," it says.

"The Scottish government risks its own ambitious climate mitigation goals by effectively penalising Scottish businesses who wish to install affordable, reliable and renewable onsite energy."

The signatories include Aberdeenshire-based shortbread maker Dean's.

Managing director Bill Dean said: "We have put off investing on solar PV panels for more than six years, entirely because the business rating system penalises businesses for trying to help themselves control their energy cost.

"If this matter had been addressed years ago, businesses would more than likely have invested in fully covering their roofs with solar panels and would have been in a much better position to face the energy price crisis."

Other signatories include Black Isle Brewery, Browns Food Group, Uddingston-based Emtec Group, animal feed firm Harbro, Edinburgh-based The Scottish Salmon Company, the Scottish Timber Trade Association, the Federation of Small Businesses and the UK Warehousing Association.

Solar Energy Scotland chairman Thomas McMillan said: "Solar energy is now the cheapest energy source available to Scottish businesses, and can be deployed rapidly, improving our energy security and reducing our carbon emissions.

"Given we face growing climate breakdown, geopolitical instability and sharply rising costs, I hope these simple changes can be delivered before the end of the year."

The Scottish government said it provided non-domestic rates relief for small-scale solar energy producers and supported microgeneration producers and businesses that retrofitted micro-renewable schemes to meet part of their energy needs.

A spokesman said: "We will continue to consider how this support can develop.

"Decisions on any non-domestic rates policies will be set out in the Scottish budget alongside other government priorities in light of affordability."

He added: "We have been working closely with industry in recent months on developing the solar vision which will be published in our Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan later this year and provide the certainty needed for investment in our energy transition.

"We are also bringing forward our consideration of permitted development rights for domestic and non-domestic renewable energy equipment, including non-domestic solar panels, and intend to consult on this in early 2023."