Islands can be leading player in renewables
(From The Orcadian dated February 21, 2002)

Orkney’s windy weather may be cursed rather than praised by many but it could be a blessing in disguise – placing the islands at the cutting edge of renewable energy technology.

With fossil fuels being steadily depleted, momentum has been growing throughout the UK for several years to tap into alternative sources of energy and Orkney could become a leading player in the field.

The wind that sweeps across the isles, and the waves that pound the shores are just two natural resources that are being developed.

Large scale wind turbines have existed on Burgar Hill, Evie, for more than 20 years, and there’s a new wind farm currently under construction on Stronsay. Orkney has also been chosen as the site for a Marine Energy Test Centre.

Keeping up the momentum are Orkney Renewable Energy Forum who held their first annual meeting on Friday.

The forum acts as a melting pot of ideas and there were plenty floating around at their meeting, held in the International Centre for Island Technology in Stromness.

Wind power was high on the agenda. It is cost effective and could be used, said one forum member, to produce hydrogen – an alternative to petroleum fuels.

The development of wave and tidal energy was said not to be as advanced, but it could also become one of the new prime energy sources of the future.

With the resources on Orkney’s doorstep, small community renewable energy projects could be the way forward locally – and importantly, there’s money out there to pay for them, according to Scottish Executive Head of Energy Division John Brown.

Speaking to the forum, on his first visit to the county, Mr Brown said renewable energy was a massive growth industry in Scotland, with £260 million assigned to capital and research projects over the next two years.

The Executive have recently published their Energy Review, a document which examines the future direction of UK energy policy.

It sets targets to increase the use of renewables from ten per cent to 18 per cent in Scotland by 2010 – a target Mr Brown believes the country will exceed.

With the cost of producing wind power dropping from ten pence per unit ten years ago to two pence per unit, Mr Brown said it was a huge commercial opportunity and Orkney could be well placed to make the most of it.

Established hydro schemes make up the ten per cent of renewable energy currently being produced, he said, the equivalent of 1,200 megawatts.

Developments to produce 3,000 new megawatts are being planned though and there are already 26 applications for projects in the pipeline, representing investment of £1.5 billion in wind energy.

“Scotland can meet its renewables target many times over just by using onshore wind which only costs two pence per unit,” he said.

Orkney could make use of the Scottish Clean Energy Demonstration Scheme, said Mr Brown. The scheme offers grants for small projects – projects that could soon be coming forward from Orkney in increasing numbers.

Albert Spence told the forum that he was interested in putting turbines on his own land in Harray. His idea was for Orkney farmers to join forces and set up 50 turbines throughout the county, providing an alternative source of income.

“We need small projects as well as big ones. We have got money for community renewable projects,” replied Mr Brown.

“What we are looking for is imaginative ways of using renewable energy to benefit local communities. Smallish turbines on farms is a way of doing that.

“The grant money is there and what we are looking for is good ideas.”

The problem of accessing smaller turbines was raised at the meeting, because manufacturers are concentrating on bigger and more powerful machines.

But speaking afterwards, Mr Brown commented: “The fact the turbines are getting bigger and bigger is in response to the market. The market will always fill a need if there is a market for the small turbine.”

Mr Brown also touched upon energy efficiency during his visit.

He said Britain wasted 20 per cent of its energy – the equivalent of throwing away all the energy produced from North Sea oil.

He said the Scottish Executive had increased funding for energy efficiency projects by 28 per cent.

Much of the talk at Friday’s meeting concentrated on wind power, but a whole new range of opportunities is opening up with wave energy according to David Langston, business development manager at Wavegen.

The Inverness-based company are developing a floating mini-power station and intend to test it at the proposed Marine Energy Test Centre which is due to be based near Stromness.

“Clearly, the issue with wave is it is not a mature technology. It is in its infancy, whereas wind power is a fairly mature technology,” he said. “Scotland was in the lead with wind technology some 20 years ago but the Danish government supported the development of wind power at home and as a result they are the world leaders.

“The opportunity is for wave to repeat what the wind industry has done.”

The benefits of wave power include the fact that unlike onshore wind turbines, the machines were “almost invisible” as well as acting as a major energy source.

“You need a small percentage of it for a sizeable supply so Orkney is well placed to make use of that,” he added.

Talk of upgrading the grid and putting in a new cable across the Pentland Firth to increase capacity led to differences of opinion at the forum. Those in favour say that by doing so, Orkney could become an exporter of electricity.

Forum member and chairman of the council’s economic development committee Jim Foubister suggested tapping into the 300 megawatt cable from Dounreay on the Caithness shore.

“If we could get that cable extended across to Orkney that would open up a whole new field,” he said. “There is tremendous potential for development. The thing we are needing is a cable across here.”

Mr Brown said he felt developments to export energy on that scale were more likely to take place in the Central Belt and south east of England though.

Mr Peter Crone, who is developing the wind farm on Stronsay, agrees. Speaking after the meeting he said: “If export is the aim I think they have missed the trick. I think there is real mileage in using the islands as test beds.”

If so, Orkney could be poised at the cutting edge of renewable energy technology.

“That is where these island groups provide a unique situation,” said Mr Crone. “They should be looking at technology that has been already developed and needs to be demonstrated.”

Anyone interested in the work of Orkney Renewable Energy Forum, who welcome new members, should contact treasurer Jim Chalmers at Orkney College on 01856 569295. E-mail: jim.chalmers@orkney.uhi.ac.uk