Sustainable development in Scotland

Initiatives to promote sustainable development in Scotland have grown apace in recent years in response to concerns about environmental challenges, especially climate change. The activities involve the private, public, community and voluntary sectors.

Wind power

In February 2007 the commissioning of the Braes of Doune wind farm took the UK renewables installed capacity up to 2GW. [ [http://www.bwea.com/media/news/070209.html "UK wind power portfolio reaches new milestone: UK becomes 7th country in world to install over 2 gigawatts of wind energy".] British Wind Energy Association (February 7 2007) BWEA News press release. Retrieved on 15 February 2007.] Total Scottish capacity at October 2007 is 1.13GW from 760 turbines.Edwards, Rob (20 January 2008) "Who Needs Nuclear?" Glasgow. "Sunday Herald".]

Low-carbon communities

In April 2007 plans were announced for Biggar to become the first 'carbon-neutral' town in Scotland.Johnston, Ian (20 April 2007). [http://news.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=607152007 "Biggar and better as Lanarkshire town bids to be Scotland's first carbon-neutral community"] Edinburgh. "The Scotsman". Retrieved on 27 April 2007.] In the same month Findhorn Ecovillage confirmed that its ecological footprint is the lowest ever recorded in the industrialised world. In January 2008 HICEC published a report to "review the opportunities and actions needed to support an island community to become carbon-neutral". [ [http://www.hie.co.uk/establishing-a-carbon-neutral-island.html "Establishing a carbon-neutral island"] . HIE. Retrieved 10 February 2008.]

cottish Sustainable Development Forum

The Scottish Sustainable Development Forum (SSDF) is a group the focussed on promoting debate and action on sustainable development issues in Scotland. Forum membership is open to any individual who wishes to make Scotland more sustainable. [ [http://www.ssdforum.org.uk/ "About Us"] Scottish Sustainable Development Forum. Retrieved 22 January 2008.]

Power stations

In May 2007 Scottish Power announced that Alstom Power and Doosan Babcock had been commissioned to design plans for 'clean coal' technology at Longannet and Cockenzie power stations. If installed this would be the largest project of its kind in Europe. [Dalton, Alistair (18 May 2007). [http://news.scotsman.com/scotland.cfm?id=771022007 " 'Dinosaur' power stations in line for £1bn green revamp"] . Edinburgh. "The Scotsman". Retrieved on 31 August 2007.] Two months later Scottish Power announced that they wished to reduce carbon emissions by using biomass products such as willow or cereals at Longannet and Cockenzie power stations. This could save up to 300,000 tonnes (330,000 tons) of carbon emissions per annum. However, the challenge of replacing large scale power production with renewables was highlighted by the fact that to replace 5% of the fuel from these plants, fully 12% of Scotland's agricultural land would be required. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/6905893.stm "Crop energy power plan unveiled".] BBC online (July 19, 2007). Retrieved on 27 July 2007.]

Government policy

In June 2007 John Swinney, the new Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth in the Scottish Government, announced plans for a Climate Change Bill that would include an intention to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by 2050. [Schofield, Kevin (22 June 2007). [http://www.theherald.co.uk/politics/news/display.var.1490712.0.0.php "Scotland could be ‘world leader’ in fighting climate change".] Glasgow. "The Herald". Retrieved on 31 August 2007.]

In August 2007 the Scottish Government announced the creation of a 'Saltire Prize' for innovation in industry, which will reward excellence in developing new renewable energy technologies. [ [http://www.hi-energy.org.uk/Default.aspx.LocID-%20%20%2006gnew02i%20%20%20.RefLocID-06g008001.Lang-EN.htm "Green energy excellence to be rewarded": John Swinney announces Saltire Prize] Hi-Energy (15 August 2007) Press release. Retrieved on 29 August 2007.]

In contrast the UK government's stance the Scottish Government have ruled out both new nuclear power stations in Scotland and the burial of nuclear waste. [ [http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2007/10/Nuclear "The Scottish Government's response to the UK Consultation on the Future of Nuclear Power."] (9 October 2007)The Scottish Government. Retrieved 22 January 2008.] [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/6237080.stm "Nuclear waste burials ruled out"] bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 22 January 2008.]

Electricity distribution

However, controversy has arisen about Ofgem's proposed plans to increase transmission charges for distant electrical generation. This was widely seen as placing renewable energy production in Scotland at a considerable disadvantage. Jason Ormiston, the chief executive of Scottish Renewables was quoted as saying "At a time when the UK government's chief scientific adviser has said that climate change is the greatest threat to humanity, here we have the industry regulator penalising renewable electricity generators for generating where the resource is greatest." [ Johnston, Ian (27 July 2007). [http://news.scotsman.com/scotland.cfm?id=1170522007 " 'Mad' fines of £200,000 jeopardise Scots green energy sector"] . Edinburgh. "The Scotsman". Retrieved on 27 July 2007.] The issue was highlighted the following month when leaked Department of Trade and Industry documents indicated that, despite Scottish successes, under current policies Britain would miss the EU's 2020 target of 20% energy from renewables by a considerable margin. [ [http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2007/aug/13/renewableenergy.energy "Revealed: cover-up plan on energy target".] London. "Guardian Unlimited" (13 August 2007). Retrieved on 13 August 2007.] In the same month a report by Xero Energy into these 'use of system' transmission charges across Europe indicated that the UK system creates costs that are up to thirty times higher in Scotland than elsewhere in Europe and that charges for the islands are "almost certainly higher than any other European country". Rob Gibson an MSP for the Highlands and Islands described the charges as "a tax on geography", and Elaine Hanton of HIE claimed the report raised "serious concerns". [Ross, John (14 September 2007) "Green energy in Highlands being hampered by 'tax on geography' ". Edinburgh. "The Scotsman".] [ Scott, N.C. (August 2007) [http://www.hie.co.uk/HIE-economic-reports-2007/EU-practices-grid-connection.pdf "European practices with grid connection, reinforcement, constraint and charging of renewable energy projects"] (pdf) Inverness. HIE/Xero Energy. Retrieved on 13 September 2007.]

Waste treatment

Moray Council has announced an 800kW landfill gas project near Spey Bay. Contractors Renewable Power Systems expect the facility to come into production in 2008. [Paterson, Lorna (28 September 2007) "Landfill site's waste gases set to provide enough power for around 1,600 homes." Aberdeen. "The Press and Journal".]

Hydrogen economy

In October 2007 a joint venture was announced by the PURE Energy Centre and the Hjaltland Housing Association to create two “unplugged” hydrogen houses on a remote site in Eshaness, Northmavine, in Shetland. The installation will involve two combined heat and power systems, wind turbines and a hydrogen fuel cell to heat the houses at times when the wind is not blowing. There is also the possibility of a hydrogen refuelling station at the site for hydrogen-powered cars. A spokesman for PURE said “Forty per cent of the world-wide population lives with no access to electricity and heat. The CHP scheme will provide these populations with such access. There will be no impact on the environment whatsoever. This is totally clean energy." [ [http://www.hie.co.uk/HICEC/HICEC-News-Oct07.pdf "‘Unplugged Houses’ at Northmavine"] (pdf) (October 2007) "Community Energy News No 6". Dingwall. HICEC. Retrieved 18 October 2007.]

Carbon sequestration

The British Geological Survey estimate that potentially 755 billion tonnes of CO₂ could be stored in carbon dioxide sinks in the North Sea (Scotland's annual CO₂ output is circa 50 million tonnes). The process also aids the recovery of oil and gas as it increases pressure in the oil field. The DTI estimate that as much as 2 billion additional barrels of oil could be recovered as a result of CO₂ injection."A Scottish Energy Review". (November 2005) Scottish National Party Framework Paper. Edinburgh.]

Although this process could reduce CO₂ emissions from conventional power plants by as much as 80–90%, if combined with increased oil recovery the net savings in carbon emissions may be much less as the total volume of oil and gas used from that field would increase.Monbiot, George (2006) "Heat: How to Stop the Planet Burning". London. Allen Lane.]

ee also

*EMEC
*Findhorn Ecovillage
*HICEC
*Renewable energy in Scotland
*Scoraig
*Centre for Alternative Technology
*Sustainable development

References

External links

* [http://www.bodhi-eco-project.org.uk/ Bodhi Eco-project]
* [http://www.sci-scotland.org.uk/ Sustainable Communities Initiatives]
* [http://www.ssdforum.org.uk/ SSDF]