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The Scottish Government will consider how to encourage the development of mutualised local energy companies alongside the development of the new Agri-Renewables Strategy which is due by summer 2012.

The Scottish Government will be responsible for the introduction of enterprise zones in Scotland and we are currently considering how best to maximise their economic impact. No decisions have therefore been taken as yet on the annual budget necessary to support their introduction.

In the 2020 Routemap for Renewable Energy in Scotland, the Scottish Government has set a target of 500 megawatts of community and locally-owned renewable energy by 2020. The Routemap is published on the Scottish Government website at:

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The Community and Renewable Energy Scheme provides loans of up to £150,000 to farmers, land managers, rural businesses, cooperatives and communities to help meet the pre-planning consent costs of developing a proposal. It is a requirement of the loan scheme to have in place a binding legal agreement on community benefit, with payments to begin when a project becomes operational, and continue for a period of 20 years.

The Scottish Government is also committed to securing the establishment of a Green Equity Fund for community renewables for the post-planning phase of development. More detailed proposals for supporting community renewables from the next financial year onwards will be set out in the spending review later this year.

The Scottish Government does not provide direct financial support to the Scottish Energy Laboratory. The laboratory does however receive some financial support from Scotland’s enterprise agencies.

The Scottish Government is currently considering how best to introduce enterprise zones in Scotland, including exploring the creation of one or more low carbon enterprise zones, so as to maximise the possibility of their economic impact. These considerations include the nature and scale of the incentives to be available to businesses locating in the zones.

I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-01735 on 11 August 2011. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at .

This is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise. Scottish Enterprise leads on this program providing staff, marketing and other support.

I will ask Scottish Enterprise’s chief executive to write to you with the information.

This is a matter for the Scottish Futures Trust (SFT). SFT and the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) are exploring ways to support Local Authorities in the development of renewable energy projects. These approaches may provide a platform from which to develop specific schemes for renewable district heating.

This is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise. Scottish Enterprise leads on this program providing staff, marketing and other support.

I will ask Scottish Enterprise’s Chief Executive to write to you with the information.

The Community and Renewable Energy Scheme (CARES) now provides loans to farmers, land managers, rural businesses, cooperatives and communities for the pre-planning consent costs of developing proposals. The spending review later this year will give an opportunity to consider future funding for community renewables.