Wind projects account for more than half the bids and just over two thirds of the capacity in applications for contracts in Scotland's first round of renewables subsidies. Seventy-four schemes with a total capacity of 222 MW were put forward by wind energy developers for a share of the 30-40 MW on offer under the Scottish Renewables Order.
In his report to Ian Lang, Secretary of State for Scotland, UK electricity regulator Stephen Littlechild suggests a selection of projects based on the lowest bids. This would result in contracts for 12 wind projects totalling 45 MW (declared net capacity), 15 hydro (17 MW) and two landfill gas schemes (4 MW) -- all at bids under £0.042/kWh. Littlechild expects this selection to give an effective capacity of only 35 MW as he assumes that just over half the projects will be completed.
He rejected waste combustion and energy crops technologies which, with respective bids starting at £0.05/kWh and £0.048/kWh, he considered too expensive to be included in the Scottish Order.
