Scottish Renewables has called on the Scottish Government to adopt flexibility in future agreements to ensure local decision-making and the economic viability of individual technologies are protected. This request was made in response to a public consultation on community benefits from renewable energy developments.

The organization argues that local communities hosting clean energy infrastructure should receive tangible benefits. These are largely realized through economic growth. An analysis of two wind farms in the Highlands shows that every pound of community benefit funding generated about £4.18 of local economic value.

It has been found that the economic impact of the onshore wind supply chain is six times greater than the value of the community benefit. New estimates also reveal that the growth of the local supply chain from offshore wind could represent £34 billion for Scotland if new projects are carried out.

Scottish Renewables' main recommendations include:

• Maintaining the Good Practice Principles for onshore wind farms at £5,000 per MW installed per year.

• Enabling the Good Practice Principles for solar farms of over 5 MW at £400 per MW of installed capacity over the lifetime of a project.

• Allowing offshore wind developers to determine customized community benefit agreements using Good Practice Principles developed in collaboration with the industry.

• Strengthening all Good Practice Principles by providing guidance on capacity building and ensuring that reporting is not excessively bureaucratic for local communities.

• Designing a community information initiative outlining the likely parameters and economic realities for community investment or shared ownership schemes.

The Scottish Government aims to update existing guidelines and best practices for community benefits arising from clean energy technologies. Since 1990, renewable energy developers in Scotland have invested over £200 million in community benefits, with more than £30 million awarded just last year, primarily from onshore wind.

Innovative local funds support various charitable causes, from energy efficiency to skills development. It is expected that funding from onshore wind developments will reach nearly £90 million annually by 2033, while more than £100 million in community benefits are expected to be generated from new transmission infrastructure in northern Scotland.

Claire Mack, CEO of Scottish Renewables, stated: "As our transition to clean energy gathers pace, it is important to ensure a lasting strategic legacy for Scotland. The delivery of our project portfolio will significantly boost the economy, benefiting the entire country through the creation of high-value jobs, supply chain growth, and foreign investment."