The BBC (link here) reports that developers of small-scale hydro projects in Scotland are missing out on investment because of a focus on wind and solar power. Foster Turner Hydro has halted construction of a scheme near Gairloch because the pricing mechanism works against small or community schemes, and it sees no way of securing a contract to feed its electricity to the grid. It wants to see funding for small-scale hydro projects to be ring-fenced in government auction rounds – as is the case for wave and tidal power – to make them financially viable.

And a new report, Blown away: following the money in Scotland’s onshore wind sector (link here), by an independent economics think-tank, the Centre for Local Economies, analyses who benefits financially from Scotland’s onshore wind sector by examining profits, dividends, land rents and community payments across more than 300 wind farms. It reveals that most wealth is extracted by corporate owners – often outside Scotland – while community-owned schemes retain far more value locally and deliver significantly greater public benefits.