April 26, 2008
Scotland

Major energy consultation event

Registration has now opened for a major consultation event looking at the future of energy use and production in Orkney.

The event will take place on May 9 at the Pickaquoy Centre in Kirkwall and is part of the consultation process for two council documents.

The first, ‘A Sustainable Energy Strategy for Orkney’ was approved for consultation by the Policy and Resources Committee on April 15.

The second document is the revised ‘Wind Energy Supplementary Planning Guidance’.

The revised document will be issued in May and includes changes approved by the council’s environment, planning, and protective services committee in March.

The changes give clearer guidance on the location of wind turbines by identifying a wind energy development area, wind energy sensitive areas and areas where only smaller-scale, community-based, projects would be allowed.

Councillor Ian Johnstone, chair of the council’s development committee, said: “The development of a sustainable energy strategy for Orkney has been under way for some time and this event will play a key role in that process. This is a strategy not just for the council but for the whole of Orkney and therefore it is important that the public have the chance to contribute.”

Key issues to be discussed at the consultation event include:
· How much renewable energy should Orkney aim to produce?
· Where should wind turbines be located?
· How could the community benefit?

There will be a number of presentations in the morning and in the afternoon, attendees will focus on specific issues within discussion groups.

People interested in attending the event need to pre-register, particularly for the afternoon sessions when numbers are limited. Registration details have been advertised in the local press this week, and forms are available on the council website www.orkney.gov.uk and from the One Stop Shop in Kirkwall. Forms must be returned by Friday May 2.

Anyone unable to attend can respond to the consultation by writing to the council. Both documents will be available on the council’s website: www.orkney.gov.uk