Offshore Wind (Leasing Process)

Part of the debate – in the Scottish Parliament at on 8 June 2022.

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Photo of Michael Matheson Michael Matheson Scottish National Party

I am not sure whether Colin Smyth has entirely recognised the purpose of the innovation and targeted oil and gas—INTOG—process. The INTOG scheme is specifically designed to support innovation projects for decarbonisation of oil and gas installations. Those projects do not use the same spatial parameters that we have for the ScotWind programme. INTOG is a very different type of programme that is targeted at decarbonisation of oil and gas installations and at helping to support innovation in achieving that.

In addition, many of the INTOG programmes will not connect to the grid, but will serve directly only installations that they are decarbonising and other projects, as well.

Alongside that, I note that the leasing round was the first of its type in the world. As I set out, Crown Estate Scotland, in trying to establish a clear commercial narrative and cost around INTOG, has used an approach that it believes