Scottish news

Six stories dated 14/09/07: 

Edinburgh Castle Bathed in White Light

Edinburgh Castle's golden glow is to be replaced by more natural white light. The new energy-efficient light bulbs in the 93 lamps are designed to halve the castle's energy consumption. There are 70 floodlights around the castle and 23 fluorescent reflector lamps for the roof of the Scottish National War Memorial, Gatehouse and Argyle Tower. The floodlights are switched on every evening at dusk and are turned off at 1am. The old sodium floodlights will be replaced by lower-wattage ceramic metal halide lamps which will be more energy-efficient. The lights were tested on the castle frontage for several weeks earlier in the year.

Edinburgh City Council which pays for the lighting is hoping that, as well as being more aesthetically pleasing, the new bulbs will help to reduce the annual £10,000 lighting bill. David Storrar, Regional Architect for Edinburgh with Historic Scotland, which maintains the lights, said: "The new lights will have the same brightness but use less power. They will bring a lot more definition to the castle, highlighting the stonework and architectural detail, although placing some of the hard to reach lamps will involve rope squad-trained staff having to abseil down the rock."

Edinburgh Castle was first lit up using ex-Army searchlights just after the Second World War. The present system has been in place since the 1970s, with the original idea being to make the castle look as if it was floating on air. 
 

Marks and Spencer Eco-Stores

Marks and Spencer is to open eco-stores in Scotland as part of a £200m plan to make the company carbon neutral. Stores are planned for Galashiels and Pollok in Glasgow which will feature more energy efficient lighting, refrigeration and ventilation and recycled water. Wooden fixtures and fittings will be made from accredited Forestry Stewardship Council timber. Although shoppers are unlikely to notice any visible changes in the eco-stores, the company claims they will use 25% less energy and cut carbon dioxide emissions by half

The first store will open at the new Silverburn shopping centre in Pollok next month. This store will receive electricity equivalent to the output of a two megawatt turbine based on a small farm in Aberdeen, which the company is sponsoring. The construction companies involved in building the stores were required to adhere to a green travel plan, which involved workers sharing cars to and from the sites. Suppliers have been told to recycle 80% of construction waste and off-cuts.

Richard Gillies, Director of Store Design, Development and Procurement said "We're not creating a one-off, high-profile store that nobody's going to shop in. What we're trying to develop is real, tangible features."

"More Ambitious" Recycling Targets Under Discussion

Scotland's local authorities are to meet with the Scottish Government in Edinburgh on October 3rdat a "waste summit" to discuss the prospect of increased recycling targets.

At the moment, Scottish local authorities are striving to meet recycling targets for household waste of 30% by 2008 and 55% by 2020. New quarterly figures issued by SEPA revealed that in the 12 months up to December 2006, Scotland recycled an average of 27.1% of household waste; up from 23.3% in the calendar year 2005. This meets the 25% national target for 2006 but the new Scottish National Party administration has said it is aspiring to a "zero waste" goal for Scotland

The new figures from SEPA show that Scotland's target of sending no more than 1.5 million tonnes of biodegradable municipal waste to landfill has also been met, 1,476,900 tonnes was sent to landfill in 2006, down from 1,578,232 in 2005.

However across Scotland the SEPA figures showed a wide variation in recycling rates, ranging from 42.6 per cent in Clackmannanshire to 12.1 per cent in the Western Isles. Edinburgh also failed to meet its recycling targets and was one of nine councils told to put recycling higher on its agenda.

Grid Connection Charges too High

A study by Xero Energy for Highlands and Islands Enterprise has found that producers of renewable energy in Scotland's islands and north mainland almost certainly face the highest charges in Europe to connect to a national electricity grid. The cost of connecting in northern mainland areas was found to be "many times greater" than in the rest of the UK and 30 times higher than Denmark. In the Island costs are even higher.

However the report was positive about Britain's "super shallow" charging policy which means that energy producers are charged to connect to the grid, but do not have to meet the costs of grid reinforcement to handle new energy sources.

National Grid stressed that the costs were related to distance. There is a surplus of generation in the north and a deficit in the south of the country. A spokeswoman said, "The incremental costs of accommodating generation in Scotland and the associated charges are therefore high, since power has to be transported over long distances to consumers." She added that renewable generation developers had to balance the resources available in remote locations with additional transmission costs associated with these areas

Windfarm Decisions

Ministers have granted consent for a windfarm at Harestanes, capable of generating 213 Megawatts (MW) of electricity, sufficient to power around 120,000 homes.

However consent has been refused for windfarm applications at Clashindarroch near Huntly (129 MW) and Calliacher near Aberfeldy (62 MW). The Clashindarroch farm, it was claimed, would have potentially harmful impacts on the Deveron Valley landscape. While Calliacher would have an unacceptable visual impact on Glen Quaich and on Loch Freuchie. However, the Reporter indicated that the project would be acceptable if reduced below 50MW in which case the application would need to be referred to the local authority.

Scotland's Green Hotels

Scotland dominates a new list of Britain's greenest hotels. Of the 50 awards for eco-friendly credentials, 35 were given to hotels north of the Border. The "Gold Register" was compiled by a team of independent examiners who visited hundreds of hotels. The award-winners had to show that at least 60 out of 120 potential environmental measures were in place. These range from energy-saving light bulbs to innovations such as waterless urinals and having a green purchasing policy backing local farmers and caring for wildlife.

Four stories dated 07/09/07: 

Award for Glasgow University's 'Green' Accommodation

The University of Glasgow has further enhanced its reputation for concern about the environment. The university, which was recently named the greenest academic institution in Scotland, has been credited with the Green Tourism Business Schemes (GTBS) bronze award for four of its student residences.

The accommodation halls were graded against more than 120 measures of best practice, covering everything from efficient lighting and heating, to nature conservation, use of produce, renewable energy and community support and involvement.

Martin Webb, Senior Grading Advisor with the Green Tourism Business Scheme said, "The university has made great strides in trying to reduce its environmental impact." The university has been working closely with Sanctuary Management who run three of the residences. Among the initiatives receiving praise were; having recycling facilities for guests and students, serving fair trade tea and coffee, using low energy lighting and the development of customer information packs aimed at encouraging guests to use local produce as well as to walk, cycle or use public transport rather than a car. 
 

Climate Change Website

The Scottish Government has launched a new internet resource designed to help businesses and individuals prepare for the impact of climate change. Developed by the Scottish Climate Change Impacts Partnership (SCCIP), the website also aims to involve people in the fight against global warming and will offer regularly-updated information on climate trends.

The site (www.sccip.org.uk) is part of a larger initiative from the Scottish Executive which aims to significantly reduce CO2 emissions and promote a greater general awareness of environmental challenges among its citizens. The SCCIP project brings together the Scottish Government, Scottish Environment Protection Agency, Scottish Natural Heritage, Sustainable Scotland Network and the UK Climate Impacts Programme. It was established to promote awareness and understanding of climate change impacts affecting Scotland while supporting organisations in meeting the challenges and opportunities these impacts present, to strengthen Scotland¿s adaptation response as a whole by providing strategic links between localised or individual activity engage with and seek to strengthen individual organisations resilience to a changing climate. The SCCIP is funded by the Scottish Government and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency.

Renewable Energy Milestone

The First Minister visited a wind farm to mark what has been called Green Energy Day in Scotland as, for the first time, Scotland¿s installed capacity of energy from green sources exceeds installed nuclear capacity. The nuclear capacity is 2,465 megawatts, but after the opening of the Crystal Rig wind farm near Dunbar renewable capacity has taken the lead at 2,530 megawatts.

Speaking at the Offshore Europe Oil and Gas Conference in Aberdeen, First Minister Alex Salmond further demonstrated his support for renewable energy by outlining a series of commitments that will help to build on the progress already made in giving Scotland a competitive edge in energy production. Among these was a promise to put climate change and Scotland's renewable potential at the heart of core economic decision making

Zero Carbon Houses

A Shetland partnership has pledged to build the isles' first houses with no carbon footprint by the end of next year. The "unplugged hydrogen houses", claimed to be the first in the world, will not be connected to the mains and will solely use wind, solar and renewable hydrogen technology for heating and electricity.

The plan is the result of co-operation between the Unst based PURE energy centre and the Hjaltland Housing Association (HHA). The housing will be built on a greenfield site in Eshaness, in Northmavine, overlooking the Drongs, one of Shetland's outstanding beauty spots. Initially two houses are to be built as a feasibility study to obtain valuable and reliable data to develop the next step.

The two 'super-efficient' houses are being designed by Nick Brett of Richard Gibson Architects. An application for planning consent has been lodged and Hjaltland Housing Association is confident that the first tenants will move in by November 2008. Over the next 10 years, PURE and HHA hope to become a market leader for a product, that is predicted to have a worldwide appeal.

Five stories dated 31/08/07: 

The Greenest University in Scotland

The University of Glasgow has been ranked the most environmentally friendly education institution in Scotland and the second in Europe; the University of Leeds was in tenth place. In one of its 'Top 15' lists, Grist, a leading environmental website, puts the University of Glasgow in fourteenth place in the world. The website highlights the fact that almost 45% of the University's electricity comes from renewable sources.

Bert Young, Energy Conservation Officer at the University, said: "Energy efficiency and environmental factors have always been an important issue for the University of Glasgow and particularly so in light of current concerns over climate change. Our record for achieving our goals for sustainability is exemplary and as Grist highlights, we are always the lookout for new ways to reduce our overall energy use."

The University of Glasgow's record for sustainability dates back to 1998 when it was the first Scottish higher education institution to receive energy-efficiency accreditation from the Institute of Energy. The University is also recognised by Higher Education Environmental Performance Improvement (HEEPI) for its sustainable procurement practices for ensuring that construction of new buildings involves energy assessment and energy-saving designs.

Designs Unveiled for Aberdeen's Energy Centre.

Aberdeen City Council has released designs for the seafront Energy Futures Centre, which would bring together Aberdeenshire's world-class energy development expertise in oil and gas and renewables.

The Centre, which the council hopes will be a flagship for both Aberdeen and Scotland, would be used as a science centre, a base for energy organisations and a public space for education in energy science.

It had been intended that the Centre would also be the base for the Energy Technologies Institute but it now appears that this may be located in Glasgow. The project was discussed in a private session by members of the resources management committee, however the plans have been made public by the council and Aberdeen Renewable Energy Group, which is heading the project. The council will be making a contribution of £100,000 to the preparation of a business case.

Southern Uplands Wind Farm Approved

Plans for a new wind farm on a hillside in the Southern Uplands have been approved by Dumfries and Galloway councillors but Airtricity had to reduce the number of turbines from 13 to 11 as a condition of planning consent. The £32m wind energy project will be built on Whiteside hill, about four miles south-west of Sanquhar. The council approved the plans despite concerns from objectors about the environmental and visual impact of the development.

Are Wind Farms Economically Viable?

Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Costing the Earth programme, Michael Jefferson, from the World Renewable Energy Network, claims that wind farms are being built in areas of England, Wales and Scotland without enough wind. He suggests that the government is paying hundreds of millions of pounds to subsidise wind farms that are not economically viable.

The British Wind Energy Association (BWEA) refutes the claims saying they are "nonsense". It says subsidies are not paid for the building of plants, only per unit of electricity to the National Grid. Chief executive of the BWEA Maria McCaffery said: "Nobody in their right mind, not a developer and not the government, would support the building of a wind farm where the wind speeds are not high enough to generate a viable amount of electricity... ... ...The only pertinent figure is the amount of electricity actually supplied and there is a fixed amount of subsidy per unit of energy. You are only subsidised for what you produce."

The government is trying to reach an EU target of 20% of all energy from renewable sources by 2020. Mr Jefferson believes that as a result financial incentives (part of the Renewables Obligation Certificate Scheme) are encouraging firms to site wind farms badly. He suggests that some companies are exaggerating the amount of wind energy a development would supply, particularly in areas of England with relatively little wind like the Midlands and Home Counties. He claims that in these areas the load factor, the average amount of wind a particular spot gets in a year, was not high enough to be viable.

Engineering consultant Jim Oswald told BBC Radio 4 that many turbines were underperforming because wind speeds in Britain were too variable. He said this could lead to major power failures in future if the system was not redesigned. "It's the power swings that worry us. Over a 20-hour period you can go from almost 100% wind output to 20%, he added. But Ms McCaffery said Britain was windier than any other country in Western Europe and most farms would be generating some electricity for 85% of the time. She did however admit that not every wind farm could be located in areas of highest wind speed, but instead the industry had to identify areas where wind speeds were "good enough" to be economically viable.

Mr Jefferson believes money should be put where the wind is and that is quite often not where the development pressure is. Both Mr Jefferson and Mr Oswald criticised the fact that some wind farms in remote areas like northern Scotland were sitting idle because they were not yet connected to the National Grid.

Scottish Environmental Statistics

Scottish Environment Statistics 2007, an overview of environmental attitudes and data show peoples top concern is reducing their impact on climate change. This is the seventh edition of the booklet giving data on the state of the environment, with an emphasis on the trends over time.

The booklet includes the result of a survey in which respondents were asked to rate the relative importance of eight environmental issues facing Scotland. The top three were: reducing contributions to climate change/global warming, addressing how to meet energy needs and increasing recycling levels. Reducing the risk of flooding was ranked least important. Temperatures in Scotland are predicted to rise by 3.5 percent in summer and 2.5 percent in winter by 2100 with corresponding impacts on weather patterns including wetter winters and drier summers.

Respondents were also asked what action they took to help protect the environment. Most common was recycling household waste undertaken by two-thirds of respondents. Four in ten said that they walk, cycle or use public transport "a lot" rather than a car. However, overall there was a 25 percent increase in traffic on Scottish roads between 1993 and 2006.

Despite the apparent action of individuals, a survey of public concern showed the percentage of respondents "very worried" about the top ten environmental issues had fallen across the board between 1991 and 2002. In 1991, 42% were "very worried" about global warming compared with 25% in 2002.

The report also records that the percentage of electricity generated from renewable energy sources rose from just over 14 percent in 2000 to more than 18 percent in 2005. While at the same time the amount from coal fell from 33 percent to 25 percent.

Six stories dated 24/08/07: 

Football Stadium Goes Green

Deveronvale, based in Banff, is planning to build wind turbines on top of two of its four floodlights at the Princess Royal Park Stadium. The Highland League club would become the first in Britain to power its stadium floodlights with wind energy.

A feasibility study of the site has shown that two moderate sized turbines would not only power all of the floodlights in the ground, but could supply all the stadium's energy needs. Outside the football season the turbines may even be capable of supplying electricity to surrounding households and businesses.

The estimated cost of the project is thought to be about £400,000, most of which is expected to come from energy grants. However the plans are dependent on Tesco gaining planning permission to build a store next to the stadium. This move would release cash promised by the supermarket chain for local community projects. 
 

Clean Air Bus in Development

Alexander Dennis Ltd (ADL) is working on a project aimed at developing a bus that will produce fewer carbon emissions than any other currently in mainstream use. The company is using hybrid technology to build single and double decker buses which are energy efficient and cause only low levels of pollution.

The buses are powered by a combination of a diesel engine and an electric drive motor, which are linked to an energy storage system managed by sophisticated computer controls. The system could cut fuel consumption by nearly 40 per cent. 
 

Scotland on Shortlist for Energy Institute

The Scottish bid for the £1bn UK-wide Energy Technologies Institute is included in the short list of three. The Scotland Energy Research Partnership will now be invited to present its proposals to the selection group which will make the final recommendation.
Scotland will be competing against the Midland Consortium (University of Nottingham with Loughborough and Birmingham) and the North East Consortium (University of Newcastle with Durham, Northumbria, New and Renewable Energy Centre and the Centre for Process Innovation).

The institute will bring together government and some of the world¿s biggest companies to establish the UK as one of the leaders in global clean energy development. 
 

Experts to Make Recommendations on Green Housing

The Scottish Executive has set up an expert panel to recommend measures for making houses and buildings in Scotland more energy efficient. The Executive is hoping to emulate the standards set in Scandinavia and experts from Scotland, Norway, Denmark and Austria will advise on how best to implement strict energy standards.

One-stop-shop for Renewable Energy Installation Advice

Scotland's first impartial one-stop-shop for renewable energy installation advice will be launched in Aberdeen this week. Renewables Connection, which aims to lead the way for similar services to be rolled out across Scotland, will hold a special all-day event to demonstrate a wide range of the technologies available and provide free expert advice and information.

Renewables Connection is a pilot project covering Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire, funded by Aberdeen City Council, Scottish Enterprise, Save Cash and Reduce Fuel (SCARF) and Shell UK Ltd, with support from Aberdeenshire Council and the Aberdeen Renewable Energy Group (AREG). The organisation, the first of its kind in Scotland, has been set up to offer impartial advice to householders, small businesses and public sector organisations to guide them through the increasing range of technologies they could use to power homes and other buildings.

Renewables Connection staff can also help with grant applications, planning applications and securing competitive quotes. 
 

Whisky Production Could Supply Fuel

Cars could be powered with by-products from breweries if a project at Abertay University is successful. Researchers have been awarded a grant for a year-long study into how to turn spent grain from beer and whisky into biofuel. The result would be carbon neutral and produce 65% fewer greenhouse gas emissions.

Brazil and the USA have both been very successful in creating bioethanol from sugarcane and maize starch respectively. However, these methods have been open to criticism because they have created an increased demand for land for growing energy crops and scientists have been trying to find a simple and cost effective way to produce more biofuels from waste or low value products. 
 

Four stories dated 17/08/07: 

First Saltire Prize Goes to Green Energy

The Scottish Government's first Saltire Prize for innovation in industry will focus solely on renewable energy. The announcement was made by Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth John Swinney while speaking at the European Marine Energy Centre in Orkney. The Saltire Prize is to be an annual award that provides funding to projects that demonstrate the best of innovation in different areas of industry and business. Full details of the Prize will be released in Autumn 2007 and the first award will be made in 2008.

Explaining the reason why the first Saltire Prize will focus on renewable energy, the Minister said, "Scotland has a huge renewable energy potential, enough to meet its demand for power almost 10 times over. Our coastal geography and tidal channels mean we can be a world leader in new wave and tidal energy technologies. The pioneering work of the European Marine Energy Centre is a perfect example of how we can successfully achieve this." "The Scottish Government is determined to support these new technologies wherever possible, both to help tackle climate change and to increase sustainable economic growth", he added. 
 

Ochil Hills Wind Farm Approved

Plans for a wind farm in the Ochil Hills have been approved following a public inquiry. The 12-turbine development at Lochelbank near Glenfarg was originally rejected by Perth and Kinross Council, but the decision has been overturned on appeal, despite more than 1,000 objections to the proposals. There are already schemes for two wind farms in the Ochils, at Burnfoot and Greenknowes.

However the Scottish Executive has rejected appeals for wind farms at Mellock Hill near Crook of Devon, Little Law at Auchterarder and nearby Snowgoat Glen. Scottish Executive Reporter Karen Heyward ruled the cumulative effect of too many turbines would outweigh the possible benefits. However, she approved plans for a development at Lochelbank, which will be capable of generating 15MW of renewable energy.

Campaigners have been fighting the different proposals for four years. The decision to allow only one new wind farm to be built has been welcomed by the Windfarms Action Group (WAG). The permission imposed a number of conditions to try and make sure the plants and their habitat were not destroyed but the 'serious concerns' of the RSPB were rejected. 
 

Tesco Plans Wind Turbines

Tesco is hoping to build a ten metre-high wind turbine to supply power to its biggest Edinburgh store. The Company has applied for local authority planning permission to build the turbine in the car park of the 'Extra' store in Corstorphine. It would be the first Tesco store to be part of a national drive to halve the supermarket chain's in-store energy consumption within three years.

It follows a similar scheme in Wick, Caithness, where solar panels and five wind turbines were built on the roof of a new store to provide a tenth of its electricity needs. The Edinburgh scheme would provide a similar share of the store's power.

Spokesman for Tesco said, "We have been looking at a few sites across the UK as locations for these turbines and the Corstorphine Extra store is one where we are keen to see a scheme developed... ... ...it may only provide a small proportion of the total energy used in the supermarket, but this is part of a UK-wide initiative that we are committed to. We need to try to provide renewable energy at as many of our stores as possible." 
 

Applications for UK Committee on Climate Change

Applications have been invited for the Chair and members of the new UK Committee on Climate Change. The Committee will bring together experts from climate science and policy, economics, business competitiveness and financial management. It will draw on existing information and undertake its own analysis to provide expert advice to Scottish and UK Ministers.

Climate Change Minister Stewart Stevenson said, "The Committee will play a crucial role in advising us of the emerging science of climate change and how best to reduce emissions. We need expert analysis which is clear, transparent and independent of government.
The four countries of the UK are jointly seeking candidates for the Committee which will advise on reaching the UK target of 60 per cent reduction in carbon dioxide emissions by 2050. In Scotland, there will be consultation on proposals for a Scottish Climate Change Bill which will set the more ambitious target of an 80 per cent reduction in emissions by 2050.

The Committee will be created initially as an advisory non-statutory body, and will be put on statutory basis once the UK Climate Change Bill receives Royal Assent. The closing date for applications is October 8, 2007. 
 

Six stories dated 10/08/07: 

Hydrogen-Powered Energy Centre Planned

Plans have been submitted to Fife Council for a hydrogen-powered renewable energy research centre in the Methil area. If approved, it will house the plant rooms for the hydrogen office building, as well as an innovative renewable energy system.

The planning application was submitted to Fife Council by Scottish Enterprise Fife in a partnership including Alsherra Investments and the Hydrogen Office Ltd.

The Energy Centre is one of a number of potential projects earmarked for the emerging energy hub at Methil. It will be one of the world's first fully integrated alternative energy projects combining well proven renewable energy technologies (wind and geothermal source heat pumps) with hydrogen and fuel cell energy storage technologies. The project will use surplus renewable electricity to convert tap water into hydrogen, a sustainable means of storing energy that has important environmental and economic benefits.
The quantities of hydrogen stored by the project will be small; comparable in energy terms to the petrol carried by three family cars. The submission of planning documents comes after a series of project briefing sessions held with local residents, councillors and local MSP, Tricia Marwick. 
 

£18m MBT Waste Plant Proposed

A planning application for a mechanical biological treatment (MBT) centre near Polmont has been submitted to Falkirk Council and could reduce the amount of rubbish sent to landfill. It is thought the £18m facility could be the first in Europe to use water to separate out material for recycling. Remaining waste would be processed with enzymes to produce renewable energy and soil treatment products. If permission is granted the plant could be in operation in 2009; handling 70,000 tonnes of waste a year.

Avondale Environmental Ltd already has planning permission for a recycling centre and has applied for a variation to construct the MBT plant. It would be developed by Manchester-based Oaktech Environmental Ltd, which has already built a similar plant in Tel Aviv.

Moray Art Centre's 'Green' Car park

A self-sustainable arts centre in Scotland is planning to further boost its green credentials by developing an environmentally-friendly car park. The Moray Art Centre in Findhorn is building a car park which will include solar photovoltaic roof panels and creeping plants.

Project Director Randy Klinger said that the Centre had formerly benefited from passive solar energy and geothermal heating but was missing out on being able to produce its own electricity sustainably. The plans, which will cost £71,000, include the installation of rainwater-collecting butts, the provision of air-pumps for bicycles, a charging point for electric cars and special recycling bins.

Councils Plan New Generation of Waste Incinerators

Councils across Scotland are believed to be considering incinerators that will provide a valuable source of energy and reduce the amount of rubbish going to landfill sites.

Under European law, councils must find alternatives to landfill or risk very significant fines. Rubbish going into landfill rots down and produces methane. In the past there have been health fears and strong public opposition surrounding the idea of dealing with the landfill problem by burning waste instead. Campaigners have criticised the present move, which they say would create toxic ash. However, according to the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), new technology means today's incinerators bear no relation to those of the past. In 1990 55% of dioxins in the UK came from incineration, now the figure is 0.2%.

The Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (Cosla) believes energy from waste or incineration is a safe, tried and tested way to deal with rubbish that cannot be recycled. It is commonly used across Europe. Cosla hopes the huge amounts of energy produced by the incinerators could be used to heat homes and public buildings.

A facility on Shetland takes in waste from oil rigs and produces enough energy to supply hot water to 700 homes and 90 businesses, including a hospital and leisure centre. The Shetland plant is one of two municipal waste incinerators in Scotland, the other operating in Dundee.

Glasgow's Eco-Friendly Campaign

An eco-friendly campaign group has been set up following the release of figures which highlight that up to 80 per cent of homes in towns such as Giffnock, Newton Mearns and Clarkston have a car, with more than a third having at least two vehicles. In addition 66 per cent of residents never travel by public transport.

Launching next month, the East Renfrewshire Climate Change Partnership will work with businesses, community groups and schools to increase environmental awareness.

EAS EnergySavers Awards 2007

Energy-saving projects could win £1,500 and gain recognition for their achievements in the EAS EnergySavers Award 2007. Organised by the fuel poverty charity Energy Action Scotland and supported by eaga, entry is open to community-based projects in Scotland. The competition aims to recognise excellence in local energy-saving initiatives, particularly those aimed at low income households.

Norman Kerr, Director, Energy Action Scotland said: "There are many initiatives working at a local level to tackle fuel poverty and improve energy efficiency in homes. The EAS EnergySavers Award aims to highlight their success so that others might also be encouraged to develop their own projects."

Entry information is available from Energy Action Scotland, www.eas.org.uk  

Two stories dated 03/08/07: 

Distillery Biomass Scheme Extended

Waste heat from the Pulteney Distillery in Wick is already being piped into homes but from October Caithness General Hospital will also be connected to the scheme. The Caithness Heat and Power (CHaP) project has been providing energy to 270 homes since last December from a wood-burning source at the malt whisky distillery. The aim of the project has been to improve energy efficiency and tackle fuel poverty. Those connected to the scheme are believed to be saving between £15 to £20 a week.

Expansion of the project over coming months will see not only the hospital but a total of around 500 council-owned homes, Wick High School and the town's care home all linked to the scheme. The long term aim is to have the whole of Wick on the district heating scheme, so the town becomes carbon neutral.

CHaP was set up in 2005 as a not-for-profit partnership between Pulteney Distillery, Highland Council and Pulteneytown People's Project. At the time the idea that excess thermal energy generated in whisky distillation could be boosted to a higher temperature in a woodchip-fired boiler was considered pioneering but workable. It received initial funding from the European Regional Development Fund and Energy Saving Trust. When it becomes fully operational later this year, the plant will require 30,000 tons of woodchip annually. At present, forests around Caithness could supply its needs for 25 years.

After visiting the Pulteney Distillery, Environment Minister Mike Russell said the pioneering scheme had the potential to be used elsewhere in Scotland. "I was enormously impressed by this project," he said. "This is world-beating technology providing a valuable service to the hospital and community of Wick. This a model district heating scheme that I hope will inspire co-operative action in many other towns around Scotland." Mr Russell announced that a £3m funding package would be provided to create woodlands to help allay fears that biomass businesses would be a threat to forestry. The Minister estimated that the creation of around 2000 hectares of forest would be needed to supply the industry. 
 

Aberdeen to Get a Wind Monitoring Mast

A 295-foot high wind monitoring mast may be built on the outskirts of Aberdeen to test the potential of a renewable energy installation. The mast, which would be sited at Tarbothill Farm north of Bridge of Don, has been proposed by the Aberdeen Offshore Wind Farm company, which is a partnership of project services firm Amec and Aberdeen Renewable Energy Group.

Amec's Wind Energy Director Robert East said that the move was necessary to assess the feasibility of a 23 or 24-turbine wind farm, which the group plans to build two miles from the shore.

Four stories dated 27/07/07: 

Hospital Draws Well Water for Laundry

Using water from a new well to wash laundry is among plans being considered by NHS Lothian to reduce its utility bills. Geologists believe there is so much underground water at St John's Hospital in Livingston that, if added to collected rainwater, it could make the region's NHS laundry service self-sufficient.

Every hospital in the region, including the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, sends dirty laundry to St John's, which handles 200,000 items of linen every week and uses around 68 million litres of water a year. The hospital has already started collecting rainwater in tanks to wash laundry and recently called in surveyors to assess the possibility of a well.

The project is still in the very early stages and the next step is to ask Scottish Water to test the source. A test well would cost about £70,000 and information gathered so far suggests that a well could produce between 200,000 and 500,000 litres of water a day, although it is not yet clear what treatment might be required to make this fit for use.

This just one of a number of environmentally friendly ideas being considered to help NHS Lothian achieve its aim of a 30 per cent reduction in carbon emissions over five years. Among other measures, the temperature control system for hospitals and other properties was recently upgraded and can now automatically reduce heating on a sunny day or increase it in a sudden cold spell. The Health Board has already reduced its carbon footprint by about 20 per cent. 
 

Patio Heaters, the New Environmental 'Enemy'

Initially they might have been seen as a way of extending the al fresco drinking and dining hours, but patio heaters are becoming a symbol of environmentally destructive consumerism; the new 4x4.

A number of retailers have stopped stocking patio heaters and the Energy Saving Trust is urging others to follow suit because of the "substantial" amount of carbon emissions they produce. The average patio heater uses the same amount of energy as a gas hob uses in six months and emits around 50kg of carbon dioxide per year.

The EST Scotland estimates that there are now 160,000 households in Scotland who own or plan to buy a heater. These could create 7,700 tonnes of gas every year, equivalent to a car driving from Glasgow to John O'Groats and back 43,000 times. In Glasgow, the heaters are said to create 950 tonnes of carbon dioxide.

In the UK as a whole the EST estimates that 1.2 million household gardens have a patio heater, set to rise to 2.3 million next year, although the Market Transformation Programme (MTP), which provides data for government, estimates a more conservative 630,000 domestic heaters. Their use has increased over the last eighteen months since the introduction of smoking bans. 
 

Increased Transmission Charges Could Threaten Remote Generators

Campaigners are claiming that plans to increase charges to remote generators could undermine renewable energy schemes in Scotland. Ofgem is believed to be considering backing changes to the cost of transmission losses. Generators nearer cities and areas of high demand, which have least losses en route to users, would pay less.

Opponents fear the changes would discriminate against projects such as wind farms in the north of Scotland and may even encourage companies to relocate away from Scotland.
Ofgem calculates that the scheme could lead to an overall saving of about £15m per year in energy terms and a reduction in carbon emissions by around 150,000 tonnes of carbon per year.

A Scottish Executive spokesman said a transmission charging regime would actively work against the development of renewable energy resources in Scotland. He added: "We will press for a change to Ofgem's remit as we build an energy policy that maximises Scotland's abundant clean, green energy resources." 
 

£260,000 Grant for Ocean Power Delivery

Offshore wave energy company Ocean Power Delivery (OPD) has been awarded a £260,000 Regional Selective Assistance grant to upgrade its production facility at Fife Energy Park in Methil. The investment will create 53 new jobs.

During a visit to the energy park, John Swinney, the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth, said that OPD had been working closely with Scottish Enterprise to secure financial assistance for a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility for its world leading Pelamis wave energy converter. Dr Martin Reynard, chief financial officer, OPD, said: "This grant award is intended to help offset investment costs for manufacturing at the Fife Energy Park which can in turn help bring OPD one step closer to commercial volume production of Pelamis." 
 

Five stories dated 20/07/07: 

Scheme to Grow Biofuels

ScottishPower has launched a scheme which could see more than one-tenth of Scotland's agricultural land used to grow crops for fuel. The Company is seeking contracts with farmers to produce 250,000 tonnes of energy crops, such as fast growing cereals or willow coppice, to displace the coal burned at its Cockenzie and Logannet power plants. Woodchips are already in use as part of a renewable energy programme.

If successful this move, which has been welcomed by the National Farmers Union, will involve up to 12% of Scotland's farming land but, according to ScottishPower, would have a minimal effect on land used for food crops.

Burning of the specially-grown fuel crops will begin in 2009, and the Company hopes that by 2013 the crops will have replaced 5% of the coal it uses. Frank Mitchell, Generation Director at ScottishPower, said: "This is a significant step in our renewable energy programme ultimately displacing 300,000 tonnes of carbon emissions per year." 
 

First Minister Meets with EU Energy Commissioner

Following talks with Europe's Energy Commissioner, Andris Piebalgs, First Minister Alex Salmond decalered him "a firm friend of Scotland". Mr Salmond said the discussion had been about how to mobilise Scotland's energy potential for the benefit of both Scotland and the rest of Europe.

The talks had also included the possibility of resurrecting a revolutionary carbon-capture project at Peterhead. Mr Salmond said that although the London Government had delayed supporting carbon capture, which was a great set-back, it was important not to give up on what has the potential to be world-leading technology.
Also discussed, was the future potential of offshore grids of electricity linking the clean energy producing areas of Scotland with their potential customers across the North Sea. Mr Salmond said, "We have a vast future as an energy powerhouse for Europe and we must now think big about how to bring it into being." 
 

The House of the Future

A report from Alliance & Leicester Mortgages and the Centre for Future Studies (CFS) predicts that up to one-third of all British homes will be built between 2007 and 2050 and the changing environment will bring a revolution in property usage over the next two decades.

New properties could be very different to those lived in today, with flood-risk properties likely to be built on stilts and others incorporating 'green' features such as extensive water recycling facilities. The study also claims that solar panels will help cool down living spaces as the climate becomes hotter, while wind power is expected to provide a significant proportion of energy as public awareness of climate change increases.

Large Carbon Footprint Not a Guarantee of Happiness

New research using an innovative measure of carbon efficiency and real economic progress reveals that Europe is less efficient now at delivering human well-being than it was 40 years ago. The European Happy Planet Index links 30 European nations' individual carbon efficiency with the well being of their citizens. This ranking reveals a very different picture of the health and wealth of European nations. The New Economics Foundation (NEF)'s analysis, published in association with Friends of the Earth, also looks back over the last 40 years and reveals that Europe is less carbon efficient now than it was in 1961.

Across Europe people report comparable levels of well-being whether their lifestyles need the resources of six and a half, or just one planet like Earth. The study concludes that people are just as likely to lead satisfied lives whether their levels of consumption are very low or high and therefore politicians should not be afraid of policies to reduce demand.

To calculate the European Happy Planet Index, NEF first ranked countries separately for their carbon footprint, life expectancy and life satisfaction. Then countries were ranked for the efficiency with which their resource use translates into relatively long and happy lives.

North European countries like Denmark, Switzerland, Iceland, Finland and Sweden did best in terms of life satisfaction. Iceland was the highest scoring nation. Overall countries that have most closely followed the Anglo-Saxon, strongly market-led economic model show as the least efficient. "These findings question what the economy is there for. What is the point if we burn vast quantities of fossil fuels to make, buy and consume more and more, without noticeably benefiting our well-being?" said Andrew Simms, NEF's Policy Director.

The UK came 15th in both the league table for life satisfaction and that for life expectancy; just ahead in terms of life satisfaction, of Germany (16th) and France (19th) but behind on life expectancy with France in 7th place and Germany just ahead in 14th place.

Luxembourg is the worst country for its carbon footprint per person, followed by Finland and Estonia; the UK comes in fourth from the bottom. The Scandinavian nations have some of the lowest per capita carbon footprints in Europe, despite also being amongst the richest and happiest nations. Some of the differences can be explained by access to domestically available renewable energy sources, but not all. Even wealthy, high consuming Switzerland has only the ninth largest footprint.

When all the indicators are put together a picture of relative carbon efficiency and well being emerges which does not appear to show the UK in a good light.

Whisky Production Goes Green

The first major distillery to be built in Scotland for 30 years will be the most energy-efficient and innovative development of its type according to the owners Diageo.

Detailed plans for the distillery at Roseisle on Speyside have been lodged with Moray Council. It is hoped building work will start later this year and the first mature spirit will be ready in 2012.

The plans show that the Roseisle distillery will be built using modern environmental and distilling techniques and will use the latest energy-efficient technology. It has a target of being both water and fossil fuel neutral. 
 

Three stories dated 13/07/07: 

Smart Meters Reveal Energy Waste

Almost 13,000 households in Scotland will be among those taking part in a national trial of smart meters enabling consumers to see exactly how much they are spending on electricity . About 10,000 Scottish and Southern Energy customers, mostly in Tayside, and a further 2640 people signed up to ScottishPower in South Lanarkshire are joining the pilot scheme.

Special display devices will show people exactly how much the electricity they use is costing them in real time. This will allow them to see the amount they could save by switching off various appliances. Additional readings will show carbon dioxide emissions to demonstrate the impact of energy use on the environment.

The new meters will also be able to send providers exact readings to end the current estimated billing system. The UK Government is providing £10m towards the programme which is being co-coordinated by Ofgem. The energy suppliers involved are providing matching cash amounts. 
 

Street Bins Could Boost Recycling

Aberdeen City Council is looking at new ways to boost its recycling rates which lag behind those of many Scottish councils. They are considering schemes seen in countries like Holland and Germany where recycling containers are available on streets next to rubbish bins.

The city has kerbside collections for garden waste and items, like paper, card and plastic, but more than 20,000 tenements and high-rises are not covered. This year 140,947 tonnes of waste was collected in the city, and 110,964 buried; costing £1m in landfill tax. With a tax rise to £30 per tonne next year, bills of more than £3 million are possible. The Council has pledged to increase recycling to 40% over the next four years. It is also looking at food waste collections, which could divert an estimated 6,000 tonnes from landfill.

Eco Villages Planned for Scotland

'Eco villages' containing wooden houses on stilts, with solar panels and water collection devices could soon be appearing in Scotland. Several sites across west central Scotland are believed to have been earmarked for these environmentally friendly homes.

The new houses will cover around 50sqm and cost less than £100,000. Their designers hope they will help to ease the nationwide shortage of affordable homes. They are aimed at first-time buyers, young couples and single people. Their the live/work studio design is borrowed from southeast Asia. It will be possible to self-assemble for less than £20,000, while those leaving it to the experts will expect to pay £59,950, plus the cost of the land.

One Scottish eco-village site under consideration is in Old Kilpatrick, Dunbartonshire, and another in nearby Helensburgh, at Drumfork Farm. At present, first-time buyers in Helensburgh and other parts of Argyll and Bute face an average house price of £151,048.

Five stories dated 06/07/07: 

Scotland Hits 25% Recycling Target for 2006/07

According to the most recent figures published by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), Scotland narrowly beat its household waste recycling and composting target for 2006/07. According to the new league tables the 32 local authorities achieved a combined recycling rate of 25.3%, equivalent to almost 860,000 tonnes of municipal waste

The Scottish Executive set a 25% target for 06/07 and now wants 30% of household waste recycled by 2008 and 55% by 2020. Clackmannanshire was top of the table with a rate of 41.3%, followed by South Ayrshire with 37.4%. The Shetland Islands was bottom of the league with a 10% rate and Eilean Siar was in second last position with 11.7%. Glasgow's rate was 15.7% and Edinburgh hit 22.6%.

The Environment Minister said that although the figures were encouraging some local authorities will need to do better. Ewart McAuslane, Head of Environmental Services for Clackmannanshire Council, said the local authority, in partnership with Stirling and Falkirk (who achieved rates of 34.2% and 31.1% respectively), was one of the first to secure funding under phase one of the Strategic Waste Fund. He stressed that funding was vital for councils to achieve increasingly higher recycling rates. 
 

Scots Heavy Users of Power Hungry Gadgets

A study commissioned by the Energy Saving Trust suggests that the growing popularity of hi-tech devices, such as flat-screen TVs and digital radios, threatens to undermine efforts to save energy. UK consumers spend £12bn a year on electronics and research shows that despite popular belief many modern gadgets use more electricity than older equipment. Well over half of Scots said they automatically assumed they were more efficient. An old-fashioned, bulky cathode ray tube TV on average consumed about 100 watts of electricity when it was switched on but newer flat screen televisions on average use three times that amount. Digital radios were also singled out by the report as being energy intensive

The study 'The Ampere Strikes Back' calculated that by 2020, gadgets will account for about 45% of electricity used in UK households and need the equivalent of 14 power stations just to keep them working. By that time televisions on standby could consume 1.4% of all domestic electricity.

Sales of gadgets such as computers and set top boxes have soared in Scotland in recent years. On average those north of the border spend more time online than other parts of the UK, and about 16 hours a week watching TV. Scots appeared to be the worst offenders for leaving computers and other equipment on standby.

The Ampere Strikes Back report found Scots that: 

- 93% of Scottish homes have a PC or laptop 
- Scots spend an average of 23 hours a week online 
- 35% of Scots leave their computer on standby for more than three hours a day 
- 61% of Scottish homes have a set top box 
- 44% of Scots leave their set top box on standby for more than three hours 
- 32% of Scots leave their TV on standby for more than three hours

Bill Proposes to Reward Homes Using Green Energy

Edinburgh Central MSP Sarah Boyack has revived her plan to give a council tax discount to people who install windmills or solar panels on their homes. The cash incentive would also apply to other green technologies or energy-saving measures like roof insulation. Businesses would also qualify for a cut in their tax bill.

Ms Boyack put forward a Bill in the last parliament aimed at encouraging small-scale renewable energy production and increased energy efficiency, but had to abandon it when she was appointed Deputy Environment Minister. However she has now lodged a revised version of the Bill which has already received considerable support. Under the proposed bill, there would be a one-off, flat-rate £100 reduction in council tax for houses which incorporated energy efficiency or "micro-generation" measures. It would also require all new houses and other buildings to include some form of green energy production

Aberdeen Bay Surveyed for Wind Farm

A geological survey of Aberdeen Bay is to be carried out by the Aberdeen Renewable Energy Group (AREG) which hopes to build several turbines off the coast. The study is thought to be the first of recent times, and will locate previously undetected shipwrecks, munitions and prehistoric settlements.

As well as yielding important archaeological evidence, it will also be used to decide where turbines should be built. Scanning work will last a few days and is expected to start later this month. The results of the full survey will be known later this year.

Second Experimental Turbine Floated to Cromarty Firth

The second of two giant experimental offshore wind turbines has been floated out into the Moray Firth. The first tower was taken by barge from the former oil fabrication yard at Nigg on the Cromarty Firth last August. However, the second was delayed by poor weather. The turbines are part of a renewable energy trial in Beatrice oil field.
They each weigh about 1,000 tonnes and, when one of their three 63 metre (206ft) long blades is pointing straight up, they tower 170 metres (557ft) above sea level.

A Scottish-based consortium led by oil firm Talisman and Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE) is supporting the £35m deepwater turbines pilot project.

Six stories dated 29/06/07: 

Climate Change Business Delivery Group Meets

A group of leading business people interested in addressing the issue of climate change has met for the first time. The Climate Change Business Delivery Group, chaired by Scottish and Southern Energy Chief Executive Ian Marchant, aims to share ideas and challenge Scottish business to do more on this issue. Fifteen organisations were represented at the inaugural meeting.

The Group has agreed a work plan focusing on ensuring business is properly informed of the compelling evidence of climate change. Two working groups will look at logistics, including staff travel, in order to reduce emissions and consider in detail the most successful ways of significantly reducing energy consumption.

Each of the businesses in the Group has pledged to go further in their own actions to reduce emissions in the hope of inspiring and informing others in the Scottish business community. 
 

£13m Environmentally-friendly Health Centre

A £13m 'green' health centre, thought to be the first of its kind in Scotland, is to be built in Govan. It will bring together a range of health and social care services into a "one-stop shop".

Assuming the project is approved, it will be the first "carbon-neutral" building in Scotland which is open to the public. The idea is the building will end up saving the same amount of carbon emissions it creates. The 'health hub' will be built on a redundant blaes pitch in Craigton Road and use landscaping to help ensure a constant temperature in summer and winter. Ventilation will be provided through natural airflows, rainwater will be collected and redirected towards the building¿s sanitation system and an aerofoil-style roof will maximise the use of daylight. It will be sunk low into the ground so, although over two levels, it will stand at less than 40ft high to help it integrate into its surroundings.

MSPs Take Up the Home Energy Challenge

Five Scottish parliamentarians have taken on a home energy challenge to reduce emissions from their own properties. Jack McConnell, Rob Gibson, Robin Harper, Jim Hume and Mary Scanlon have pledged to reduce their carbon dioxide emissions.
The aim is for the politicians to try to make their homes "climate-friendly".

The competition is being run by Friends of the Earth Scotland and the winner will receive £500 for their chosen charity.

In order for the five politicians to make their homes more energy efficient over the course of the year, they will make changes such as adding loft insulation and low energy light bulbs or installing solar panels. Each MSP will have their home energy use calculated by experts from the Energy Saving Trust.

Friends of the Earth Scotland's Greener Homes Officer, Liz Murray, said: "By taking up this challenge, the five MSPs will be playing their part personally and in doing this, they will see at first hand what government could do to make it easier for all households in Scotland to become more climate-friendly." A website, hosted by Friends of the Earth Scotland, will publish updates on the MSPs' progress, including blogs by the MSPs themselves.

Edinburgh Tram Project Approved

Plans have been approved for a £600 million project to run trams through Scotland's capital, possibly helping the nation to cut its CO2 emissions. The administration had claimed that the plans would be too expensive and unnecessary but opposition parties joined together on the issue to force the Scottish National Party to accept the project. However the proposal will only go ahead providing it can be kept within the £600 million budget.

PGL Opens Sustainable Office Building

PGL's new office building in Banchory, which is one of the first in Scotland to incorporate geothermal heating, has been officially opened by Jennifer Craw, CEO of Scottish Enterprise Grampian. The building's design incorporates a number of other innovative features, such as rainwater harvesting for 'grey water' use, and high specification timber- framed double glazing that will offer greater economy and environmental sustainability in the long term.

Last autumn, PGL's commitment to sustainability won it a special award in the VIBES (Vision in Business for the Environment of Scotland) scheme. The VIBES judges were particularly impressed by the commitment to environmentally friendly operation shown by PGL's senior management and by the high degree of staff involvement.

WRAP Trials Green Compost at Quarry Site

Lafarge Cement's Dunbar Works site in East Lothian will use 2,300 tonnes of BSI PAS 100 compost in a former quarrying area to restore and improve the soil for the growth of woodland and grazing areas. The compost is being sourced from Scottish Water Waste Services in Deerdykes, near Glasgow. The project will determine the benefits of the use of compost in restoring quarried land, which will hopefully set an example for other firms in the quarrying industry to follow.

WRAP says the conditions of the site make it an ideal location to investigate the benefits of mixing PAS 100 compost with existing soil forming materials. According to WRAP, the resulting properties of the improved soils should enable better growth of sustainable woodlands and grasslands. Mark Scrutton, Quarry M