ARE WE finally COPPING on?
Scotland gets nearly £10million for a state-of-the-art hydrogen storage facility that could generate enough clean energy to power our public transport.
The UK government are invested in making the most of Scotland’s renewable energy resources, with the Whitelee Windfarm in East Renfrewshire set to become the largest onshore windfarm in the UK.
The new plans involve what will be the UK’s largest electrolyser, a system that converts water to hydrogen. The green hydrogen being produced here is a zero-carbon fuel that can be stored and transported easily and is expected to play a major part in the ongoing energy revolution.
The site is expected to provide enough zero-carbon fuel for 225 buses travelling to and from Glasgow and Edinburgh each day.
It will be significant in trying to reach Glasgow’s goal of becoming the first net-zero city in the UK, with 2030 being the target for the Scottish government. It’s reassuring to see the UK’s government’s commitment to this following COP26.
In 2020, Scotland narrowly missed its goal of generating 100 per cent of the country’s electricity demand from renewable energy, generating a still rather impressive, 97.4 per cent.
Onshore wind generates about 70 per cent of that capacity, so it certainly appears to be a smart investment.
The windfarm belongs to Scottish Power, who are partnering up with ITM power and gas supplier, BOC UK.
Jim Mercer, business president of BOC UK & Ireland said the project will “help to shape the future of energy storage and demonstrate the value of hydrogen to Scotland’s growing low-carbon economy” stressing how it will “accelerate development across multiple disciplines – from production and storage to transportation and end use.”
Some argue that hydrogen is too expensive for transport vehicles such as buses, as electricity would be a better, and cheaper, alternative.
However, the hydrogen production could be particularly useful for heavier loads and longer travel times, such as trains.
Chief Executive of ITM Power Graham Cooley says that the batteries used for such operations are large and heavy, adding significant weight to transport, making such a format inefficient and that with hydrogen “you can travel a long range without compromising the weight” and they will have “very short recharging or refueling times”.
However, there has been some backlash behind the emphasis on public transport. Friends of the Earth Scotland director, Richard Dixon, argues that it is more efficient to use the renewable energy from the windfarm as electricity, rather than converting it to hydrogen.
He claims that green hydrogen should really be reserved for “special uses” in industry, rather than mainstream public uses like public transport.
There is no debate though that this can only be good for the economy as the investment is set to bring in new jobs, and high skilled engineering jobs at that.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) claim that as of 2019, approximately 21,400 people in Scotland work on the low carbon and renewable energy sector and that figure shows no sign of slowing.
The UK government’s Department of Business Energy Innovation and Skills (BEIS) added an additional £2.25million in funding to support the development of hydrogen skills and standards in the UK.
This investment will propel the UK’s Green Industrial Revolution and continue to show Scotland’s growing credentials in renewables and the technologies behind them.
Growth in this sector seems a win-win by all accounts. The University of Strathclyde’s Fraser of Allander Institute conducted their own study, based on ONS figures and concluded “The true impact of the renewable sector on the economy is far greater than its turnover and direct employment.”
700 renewable energy scientists, engineers, and academics, call Scotland home. With 12,000km of coastline and 790 islands acting as Europe’s windbreak, the future looks bright for continued renewable energy trends, and hydrogen production will be part of that.
Scotland is a net exporter of electricity, and it may soon be a net exporter of green hydrogen if such trends continue.
It is my hope that we see Scottish companies make the most of this hydrogen investment, helping to spark a new wave of green entrepreneurial spirit, following the strong engineering and innovation history of this country.
East Coast Tourism Set for Boost from Drinks and Gaming
It looks like the East coast of Scotland will be seeing a tourism boost from both the drinks and gaming industry.
With a £4million plan for the old paper mill buildings at the University of St Andrews’ Eden Campus in Guardbridge, Eden Mill plans to create a premium visitor experience and expects to welcome up to 50,000 guests.
While this concept has been years in the making, it is encouraging to see this leading Scottish brand submitting official plans for the space.
Eden Mill is already a household name for their pioneering work within gin production and the expansion of the distillery and brewery will greatly benefit the local area and the wider Scottish economy.
Thirteen miles away, another city is set for a tourism injection with plans for a Esports Arena on Dundee’s waterfront.
This £60million project includes a 4,000-capacity gaming arena and will be the first truly digital enabled stadium space in Europe.
Gaming is a £1.8billion industry. To put this in perspective, that is more than the music and film industries combined, so it is a real coup for the spiritual home of gaming to be ear-marked for this exciting project.
Bringing not only high skilled, but also high paying jobs to Scotland’s fourth largest city, the complex will also include a learning facility, not just for gaming, but for other areas like network security.
These sought-after skills can be transferred to other industries and create an incredible platform for tomorrow’s young people.
The future is looking bright for Scotland, and I personally cannot wait to see what other pioneering opportunities are on the horizon.
It Made Me Laugh
‘Size matters’ is a common phrase, but I was amused to read that Fife residents took this to heart regarding their community Christmas trees.
In a bid to be more eco-friendly, and save some pennies, the traditional conifers were planted in local areas by Fife Council but have been met with disappointment from recipients due to lack of growth.
Underwhelmed and unsatisfied residents complained to the local council who, to their credit, have erected 20ft, temporary trees next to the permanent trees in a bid to ‘heighten’ the Christmas spirit.
Hopefully the trees will rise to the occasion in 2022, but at least for this year, Christmas events in Kelty and Lumphinnans will have trees they will be proud to show off.
It Made Me Weep
We have been told for months that getting the Covid-19 vaccine is paramount to Scotland getting back to ‘normal’ so to hear that eleven of the most vulnerable people received saline solution instead of the first dose genuinely shocks me.
The mistake was discovered during the initial stages of the vaccine rollout but has only just been made public knowledge through an inspection report.
But why was this mistake hidden by the government?
With care homes bearing the brunt of the pandemic including food and staff shortages, the First Minister really must step up and take a long, hard look at the handling of the vaccine program.
Transparency from our nation’s leaders is key to Scotland’s recovery and this secrecy is not helping us move forward.
