News archive - Week ending 25th January 2008

Universities Contribute to the Climate Change Debate

A new report, Greening Spires, showcases some of the important work carried out by universities in their contribution to the 'green' agenda. Produced by the vice-chancellors' group Universities UK, it looks at universities' contribution through research, the environmental sustainability of UK campuses, and the growth in environment-related courses.

Two Scottish universities are singled out. St Andrews receives a mention for its Green Travel Plan. From establishing a bicycle user group to working with local bus companies on improving bus routes and timetables, the University is looking at ways to enable staff to travel in a more sustainable manner. Many staff and students already actively contribute to the scheme by car sharing, walking, cycling or using public transport. The University has built almost 500 new and refurbished cycle spaces, provided bike maintenance classes and is setting up a bike pool scheme. All future building developments will include cycle and shower facilities.

Napier University has launched a new electricity generation project at its Merchiston campus. The installation of 32 rows of solar silicon panels covering a total area of 160 square metres generates 17.6kW at peak power. This is sufficient to run 80 of the 500 computers in the Computing Centre. The project was backed by £82,000 from the EST. Napier University also has plans to generate hydrogen from solar electricity using fuel cell technology

Software to Cut Energy Waste by Computers

A program developed by Aberdeen based Carbon Control Software automatically switches computers into standby mode if they are not being used. A computer left running 24 hours a day emits 716kg of carbon over 12 months meaning that computer equipment currently takes up 10 per cent of the UK's energy. However one in three users do not turn their machine off when it is not in use.

It has been estimated that CCS's program could cut business energy bills by 40 per cent. Personal users can download it free from carbonearth.net. In business applications it also lets companies monitor which departments are wasting the most power. The dvelopers suggest that if every person in Scotland used the programme on their PC it could cut emission rates by the same amount as removing 100,000 cars from the road

Work Begins on the "Hydrogen Office"

Work has started on the £2.7m energy efficient development, which is being constructed at Methil in Fife, and will be a state-of-the-art demonstration centre. It will become one of Europe's most advanced and integrated testing sites for innovative renewable energy and fuel cell energy storage technologies. The project is jointly funded by Scottish Enterprise, Alsherra Investments and the European Regional Development Fund from the East of Scotland Programme.

Scotland's Vision for Waste

Plans for a zero waste Scotland, including tough new targets to increase recycling and reduce landfill, have ben outlined. In a statement to Parliament, as well as announcing that £7.5 million is to be invested in community recycling projects over the next three years, Environment Secretary Richard Lochhead proposed to consult on new targets including:

- the amount of municipal waste being recycled or composted is to be increased to 60 per cent by 2020 and a new target of 70 per cent by 2025

- landfill from municipal waste is to be reduced to five per cent by 2025

- no more than 25 per cent of municipal waste is to be used to generate energy by 2025 and large, inefficient incinerators are to be rejected, and

- keeping the existing challenging target of stopping the growth in municipal waste by 2010

Mr Lochhead said, "I am determined to increase the focus on waste prevention and am committed to the existing challenging target of stopping the growth in municipal waste by 2010....... central to our waste policy are our tough targets on cutting landfill and increasing recycling. The Minister added that as part of the consultation process he would be setting up a new Zero Waste Think Tank to ensure that Scotland benefits from the best possible expertise as it moves towards a zero waste society.

As part of the Scottish Government's proposed Budget, the ring-fence around the Strategic Waste Fund will be removed with resources being transferred to the general local government settlement. The Scottish Government will retain a Zero Waste Fund amounting to £41.1 million in 2008/09, £54.4 million in 2009/10 and £58.7 million in 2010/11. Resources for the community recycling projects will be drawn from this budget. The Scottish Government is working with the Community Recycling Network for Scotland on the arrangements for the community recycling scheme. The aim of zero waste is to maximise recycling, minimise waste and ensure that products are made to be reused, repaired or recycled back into nature or the marketplace.

Funding for Turbine Manufacture

A wind turbine manufacturing scheme in Ayrshire is among the latest projects to be supported by the Scottish Government Regional Selective Assistance (RSA) scheme.
The RSA quarterly report includes a £250,000 grant to Ayrshire-based Proven Energy to create 29 new jobs in the development, manufacture and installation of small-scale wind turbine systems.

Enterprise Minister Jim Mather said, "Wind turbine projects such as Proven Energy's can play an integral role in ensuring that Scotland becomes a world leader in green energy, while helping to substantially cut carbon emissions.

Renewable Energy Projects Pipeline

The Scottish Government's Energy Consents Unit is currently processing 39 renewable project applications; 30 wind farm and nine hydro electric projects. In respect of applications under Section 36 of the Electricity Act, current renewable applications at various stages of the processs amount to a total of 4.34 Gigawatts. The Unit has also provided pre application "scoping" opinions for a further two Gigawatts of potential renewable development. Putting this in context, 6.34 Gigawatts would be more than enough to power all of Scotland's homes, and is 2.3 times the current installed renewables capacity of 2730 Megawatts.

There are 454 wind turbines operational in Scotland and a further 168 turbines have been approved by Ministers but are not yet operational. Applications have been made to Ministers for a further 1700 turbines. Ministers have recently approved an increase in capacity at Mid Hill wind farm near Banchory, which will bring its total generating capacity to 75 Megawatts. The 25 Megawatt upgrade is capable of meeting electricity demand for an additional 13,000 homes.