Renewable Energy in Scotland

The need for a greener environment has never been greater, but Scotland is embracing the challenge head-on.

It's already a world-leader in alternative energy with 16 per cent of its electricity generated by renewable sources. The following organisations are keen to find out how to develop renewable energy further in Scotland.

The Saltire Prize
For a country with a long history of innovation and invention, it’s perhaps not surprising that the Scottish Government launched The Saltire Prize in April 2008. It’s a competition to find the next major discovery in the area of clean energy. Already committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 80 per cent by 2050, Scotland boasts a huge amount of renewable potential:

• 25 per cent of Europe's wind power
• 25 per cent of Europe's tidal power
• 10 per cent of Europe's wave power

The Saltire Prize is inviting scientists and businesses around the world to compete for £10 million. The main aims of the Saltire Prize are to capture peoples' imaginations and capitalise on Scotland’s technical expertise. It also aims for projects to be achievable within two to five years.

Marine Renewable Energy Development in Scotland
It's been estimated that the UK’s outstanding tidal resources could provide at least 10 per cent of the country’s electricity. Created by Heriot-Watt University, the objective of the Marine Renewable Energy Development in Scotland (MREDS) programme is to find new ways of strengthening the country’s marine renewables sector. MREDS aims to bring academics and industry together. They aim to remove barriers that could hinder the development of technologies that generate electricity from the power of waves and the tide.

The Climate Challenge Fund
Another Scottish Government initiative is The Climate Challenge Fund. £18.8 million has been set aside over three years to encourage communities to come forward with their solutions on how they can make reductions in carbon emissions.

Planning, learning, communication and action are at the heart of the Fund. Examples given include support for communities who want to use less energy, walk or cycle more or grow local sustainable food. Grants will help with all or part of a project such as planning, communication or learning. But most importantly it will support action to reduce carbon emissions.

Findhorn Ecovillage
The Findhorn Ecovillage in the north of Scotland has won a variety of awards, such as the UN-Habitat Best Practice Designation. It has recently been shown to have the lowest ecological footprint of any community measured so far in the industrialised world.

Founded in 1985, Findhorn utilises four wind turbines, 55 ecologically-benign buildings, solar water-heating systems and a comprehensive recycling scheme. The ecovillage model is said to "present itself as an inspiring and viable solution to [the] degradation of the environment, combining a social-cultural environment with a low-impact lifestyle."

Whether such an ambitious project can be expanded to the rest of the country is debatable. But it’s clear that the potential impact of these projects could help Scotland lead the way globally in the renewable sector.

Related Links

• The Saltire Prize
• The Climate Challenge Fund
• MREDS
• Findhorn Ecovillage