Scottish Parliament – May 27, 2025 – 4

The result of the division on motion S6M-17648, in the name of Gillian Martin, on growing community-owned energy in Scotland, as amended, is: For 86, Against 28, Abstentions 0. Motion, as amended, agreed to, That the Parliament believes that Scotland must increase community-owned energy production, and supports communities being aided to achieve this;

welcomes that, since its inception, the Community and Renewable Energy Scheme (CARES) has advised over 1,300 organisations and provided over £67 million in funding to support over 990 projects;

notes that the new Community Energy Generation Growth Fund will provide up to £8 million to boost community energy in Scotland;

believes that the development of renewables at all scales in Scotland should benefit consumers, communities and the economy;

welcomes the £4 million in funding from Great British Energy to fund half of the Community Energy Generation Growth Fund;

believes that, as well as community groups, councils and public sector organisations are well placed to host, or collaborate on, community renewables projects, community heat projects, municipal ownership and co-operative models;

further believes that land reform should mean the chance for communities to be able to have priority access to land when it becomes available;

notes that there are a range of different technologies that could be utilised for community-owned energy projects, including wind, solar and hydro schemes among others, in both urban and rural Scotland;

acknowledges that the Scottish Government could help to grow the sector by opening up the government electricity supply contract to community generators, which are currently denied access to the market, whether directly through conditions of tender or indirectly through procurement;

calls on public bodies to create space for community ownership where possible by making public land and buildings available to community energy groups, and calls on the Scottish Government to work productively with the UK Government to create further opportunities for communities to own a meaningful stake in energy infrastructure through partnering with Great British Energy.