The Energy and Climate Change Secretary said:

"If we are to meet our climate change targets, Scotland will be mission critical. Success here will define our low carbon legacy.

"I know that every day that projects are delayed is an extra day we rely on dirty energy, an extra cost for the industry - and an extra cost for consumers.

"My job as Energy Secretary is not to give you warm words. My job is to go through step-by-step, breaking through the barriers - so that you can get on with the job of delivering renewable energy in the simplest, quickest and cheapest way."

Speaking this afternoon at the Scottish Renewables conference in Glasgow, he announced:

  • a new agreement between DECC and the Ministry of Defence, Department for Transport, Civil Aviation Authority, National Air Traffic Service, Scottish Government and the renewables industry to urgently seek solutions to unlock opposition from aviation - radar problems in particular - to onshore wind
  • he has asked his officials to examine what scope there may be for him to use his powers under section 185 of the Energy Act 2004 to adjust transmission charges for renewables in a particular area, such as the Scottish islands, once Ofgem has finished its Project TransmiT review of transmission charging arrangements.