Powering the nation is a hot button topic that has plagued 2021.
From panic-buying petrol to the gas crisis and food shortages, energy in all forms has been hitting the headlines, causing worry and stress across the nation.
So, it was heartening to read that Scotland is leading the way with the opening of our first low-carbon HGV refueling station, located on the busy commuter route between Glasgow and Edinburgh.
The public access station, supplied by the UK’s leading supplier of renewable biothemane for HGV’s, CNG Fuels, are stepping up to meet the growing demand from businesses to reduce transport emissions and save some money in the process.
This growing network will bring confidence to the transport industry to make the switch to this clean and cost-effective solution and will play a huge part in cutting emissions in the not-too-distant future.
Brands such as Waitrose, Hermes and Warburtons are among the household names to make the switch and when HGVs make up 16 per cent of UK transport emissions and 4.8 per cent of green house gas emissions, it is easy to see why.
The site will have the capacity to provide fuel for up to 450 lorries a day, which not only benefits the environment by cutting carbon emissions by a whopping 90 per cent, it will also reduce lifetime vehicle costs by 30-40 per cent when compared to diesel power.
With Scotland playing a crucial role as host of COP26 and central to the climate change debate, it is encouraging that we are continuing this legacy by implementing these changes now. New diesel HGV sales will be banned as of 2030, so the sooner businesses get behind this the better.
And it’s not just HGVs that are pulling their weight in the environmentally friendly transport race.
The national garden centre, Dobbies, who started out in Renfrew but now has their headquarters in Lasswade just outside Edinburgh, has just announced a UK-wide partnership with GRIDSERVE to install 12 electric charging hubs at 30 key locations.
One of the main concerns drivers have about making the switch to electric vehicles is the fear of not being able to ‘fill up’ as easily, or as quickly, as its petrol and diesel counterparts.
With the garden centres being a common feature in towns up and down the country, it is reassuring to know that charging electric vehicles is only going to get easier and more convenient, especially if you are not using the motorways.
Will this be the push that other large stores need to start installing more electric charging points? I hope so.
The banning of the sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles includes cars and with only 8 years left, we are headed towards this deadline at a rate more than the recommended speed limit.
The partnership will be getting underway in the Spring of 2022, and the high-tech charging units will feature contactless payment facilities and be powered only by net-zero carbon energy. The high-power EV charging points will also have multiple connectors to support all types of electric vehicles making it future-proof.
Arcola Energy’s Scottish Hydrogen Fuel Cell Freight Trial (SHyFT) secured funding back in August for the creation of a trial of hydrogen fuel cell trucks, which has been made possible by Scotland’s hydrogen refueling structure and green hydrogen supply.
St Andrews University are also involved with the project with their Hydrogen Accelerator coordinating the study.
The technology they are researching is not just for cars and trucks, it is also being used to power Scotland’s first hydrogen powered train by converting an older style of train into a hydrogen fuel cell electric train.
Speaking of the future of trains and transport, the Glasgow Subway celebrated its 125th birthday in December and, coincidentally, trialled the first new train on its tracks for 4 decades.
The subway cars, which have been powered by electricity since 1935, are having a futuristic makeover as part of a £288.7million overhaul of the third oldest underground rail system in the world.
The upgrade will facilitate more services, an open plan walk through interior instead of separate carriages and will eventually be ‘self driven’ without driver and be controlled via a remote system.
Scotland’s future is bright… the future is (the clockwork) orange… and green, of course.
Falkirk wins big with £1bn Growth Deal
I am pleased to hear that a new deal between the UK and Scottish Governments and Falkirk Council is set to create 2,000 new jobs and £1bn worth of future investment to the local area.
The Falkirk Growth Deal will see eleven projects given the green light which will bring new employment opportunities to the region, including a new sustainable transport hub and ‘green corridor’ to connect nearby communities.
Other projects which will enhance the local area have also been given the go ahead, such as a carbon dioxide utilisation centre and an innovation skills transition centre.
This all sounds like fantastic news and I’m sure it will have a positive impact on the local area. Falkirk is ideally placed between Scotland’s two biggest cities, but despite being so central, it’s often forgotten about and rarely generates the same kind of attention as Edinburgh and Glasgow when it comes to economic investment.
It’s great to hear something positive about job opportunities and new projects at a time of such uncertainty where things are up in the air once again as a result of the pandemic.
Just as city centres were starting to reap the benefit of workers returning to the office, we have found ourselves back in a position where office workers are being asked to stay at home.
It feels like we will be in this cycle for quite some time to come, so it makes sense to channel funding into different areas to strengthen town centres and economic prospects throughout the country, rather than focusing solely on the major cities. In this case, I hope this is the first of many new similar deals to come for Scotland.
It Made Me Laugh
A chip shop Christmas miracle
A takeaway in Perthshire has unveiled a quirky addition to their menu that is sure to grab customers’ attention in the run up to the festive period. Dunkeld Fish Bar has announced deep-fried Christmas dinners are now officially on offer after locals suggested the festive feast.
The deep-fried turkey breast comes with carrots, parsnips, and brussels sprouts – but before you start thinking it must be fairly healthy with all those vegetables on offer – it’s worth noting the dish is also accompanied by foot-long pigs in blankets.
It certainly doesn’t sound like my idea of culinary bliss, but the takeaway has generated a real buzz since the launch, which isn’t always easy to do. It’s a bit of fun and that’s exactly what most of us need right now.
It Made Me Weep
Rail fare rise derails green ambitions
I was completely perplexed to hear that train fares across Scotland are set to go up by almost 4 per cent next year. The biggest price hike in almost a decade will see the cost of a season ticket between Glasgow and Edinburgh go up to an eyewatering £4,430.
I don’t understand how this can possibly be justified when we’re trying to become a more environmentally friendly country and encourage more people to ditch their cars and instead opt to use public transport.
Many will now be priced out of taking the train, and it’s sure to put people off taking a job which would involve commuting by train every day.
The prices are already astronomical, and I think increasing them even more sends a really negative message.
