Local Energy Matters: Scotland

Local Energy Matters:

Scotland

1 | P a g e Issue 9 | Bumper - September 2019 Scottish energy news University of St Andrews reduce emissions footprint On 2 August, the University of St Andrews announced the launch of a

£3.75mn energy conservation campaign to see the university drop its carbon footprint by 950 tonnes a year. The overhaul may additionally result in the university saving £650,000 per year in operating costs. Among the energy saving measures being deployed to achieve this goal are a new district heating network, energy efficient LED lighting, and solar power generation fittings at the university’s sports centre. Smart building management systems will also be installed. The project will see refurbishment of 30 university buildings which account for the largest energy use and make-up 85% of the campus’ annual energy spend.

The project was procured through the Scottish Government Non Domestic Energy Efficiency (NDEE) Framework and will be delivered by Vital Energi. Operations Manager at Vital Energi, Scott Lutton, explained the NDEE as ”a successful Scottish Government framework which allows organisations to balance their low-carbon ambitions with financial stability, ensuring that the improvements not only pay for themselves, but also generate a profit over the course of their design life”. St Andrews Quaestor Derek Watson added: “We are committed to reducing our carbon footprint and increasing our energy efficiency wherever possible as we move towards our goal of becoming carbon neutral for our energy use”.

Sturgeon launches Stirling District Heat Network

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon opened a £6mn heat network project on 7 August. The network will harness energy from wastewater to provide heat to local businesses and public buildings in Stirling. The project received £2mn funding through the Scottish Government’s Low Carbon Infrastructure Transition Programme and is being developed collaboratively with Stirling Council and Scottish Water Horizons. This project is the first of its kind in the UK - providing low-carbon and affordable heat to the Stirling community.

This project comes after announced aims for Stirling to become a carbon-neutral city following declaration of a climate emergency. Ms Sturgeon said: “We have already proposed one of the most ambitious statutory emissions targets anywhere in the world, and today’s announcements illustrate our commitment to developing new and innovative policies which will make a real difference. The Stirling Renewable Heat Demonstration Project is a great example of this, using wastewater to help provide energy to local businesses and public buildings.”

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£450,000 fund to improve energy efficiency

£450,000 of funding has been made available by the Scottish Government to support Local Authorities decarbonise heat and improve energy efficiency. Published on 7 September, nine Local Authorities who have not yet piloted strategies will be able to apply for this funding: Angus, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, East Ayrshire, East Dunbartonshire, East Renfrewshire, Moray, North Ayrshire, South Ayrshire and West Dunbartonshire Council. The strategies will identify local solutions to reduce emissions from buildings and tackle fuel poverty. Paul Wheelhouse, Scotland’s Energy Minister, commented on the development; “Communities and Local Authorities are vital in helping us achieve our ambitious target of net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045. These strategies will give Local Authorities and communities a real stake in planning how to reduce emissions from how we heat our homes and buildings.”

Council homes to receive battery storage

The Scottish Government has given praise to Stirling council in response to investment made in innovative battery storage technology to help tackle fuel poverty and improve energy efficiency.

Stirling Council has contributed £324,000, and has also been part funded by the Scottish Government. Investment and implementation with this technology has been largely driven by compliance of the new Energy Efficiency Standards for Social Housing 2 which was launched in June by Kevin Stewart, the Minister for Local Government, Housing and Planning. When visiting two tenants who participated in the pilot scheme for the batteries, Mr Stewart commended the Stirling Council for “ensuring that more than 90% of their properties are achieving the Energy Efficiency Standard for Social Housing, which is great news for their tenants and for the environment.” The batteries work by capturing excess electricity generated from the home’s solar panels that would otherwise have been exported to the grid, allowing it to be used in the evening once the solar panels had stopped generating for the day. This technology appears to have been successful, with homes using the battery storage being over 90% self-sufficient from electricity generated from the solar panels. Housing portfolio holder Cllr Evelyn Tweed also commented on the impact the technology has made to the local tenants saying “The continued investment in our solar panels and battery storage programme means that more and more Stirling Council tenants are feeling the benefits of reduced electricity bills and helps facilitate our work to tackle fuel poverty across the Stirling area.

Housing Portfolio Holder Councillor Evelyn Tweed also commented on the impact the technology has made to the local tenants, saying “the continued investment in our solar panels and battery storage programme3 | P a g e means that more and more Stirling Council tenants are feeling the benefits of reduced electricity bills and helps facilitate our work to tackle fuel poverty across the Stirling area”. Warrington Council to invest £18mn in energy

Warrington Borough Council is set to pay £18mn for a 50% stake in Scottish energy company, Together Energy, which is based in Clydebank. The Labour-run authority is also expected to grant a £4mn loan to the supplier. The deal was finalised after agreements surrounding equity and loans came to completion. The final decision on the deal was to be made after a ‘risk workshop’ on 16 September, however Councillor Russ Bowden explained that the decision should be completed within two weeks of the workshop. Financial particulars on the project have not been made public. Deputy council leader Councillor Cathy Mitchell said the investment will help the authority deliver on its climate emergency resolution by “hopefully offering 100% green energy” to the town’s residents. Furthermore, she told members it will help to reduce fuel poverty, which around 10,000 people in Warrington suffer. Beyond financial motivators, the investment is particularly focused on helping the community in the Clydebank area, noted to be one of the poorest areas in the country. The investment hosts schemes designed to get unemployed people back into work and is to deliver further employment opportunities beyond, with an office in Warrington due to create 20 jobs in its first year. Councillor Judith Guthrie, portfolio holder for Environment and Public Protection, said the move “really ties in” with the borough’s green energy strategy, while Councillor Tony Higgins, cabinet member for leisure and community, believes it reflects on Labour’s pledge to protect the most vulnerable in society. Scottish Government focuses on decarbonisation

The Scottish Government has recently reinforced its focus on tackling decarbonisation, with First Minister Nicola Sturgeon recognising and commenting on Scotland’s contribution to the climate emergency earlier this year. The Programme for Government sets out the next steps and vision for tackling climate change including: • Investment of more than £500mn to improve bus infrastructure across the country to promote public transport • Decarbonisation of Scotland’s railways by 2035, alongside making the Highlands and Islands the world’s first net zero aviation region by 2040 • A ‘Green New Deal’, harnessing the power of the Scottish National Investment Bank and creating a £3 billion package of investments to attract green finance to Scotland • New regulations to ensure that home built from 2024 onwards must use renewable or low carbon heat alongside a minimum target investment of £30mn to support heat projects • Introduction of a Heat Network Bill which will safeguard heat network consumers

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The First Minister spoke about the new investment stating “this year’s Programme for Government is an important part of our response to the climate emergency, containing measures which will reduce emissions while supporting sustainable and inclusive growth”. Citizen’s Advice Scotland’s Head of Energy, Dr Jamie Scott, said “the Scottish government’s declaration of a climate emergency had to be followed up by substaintial changes in policy and investment, and the Programme for Government is a good step in that direction”.

Scottish Government announces climate emergency

On 28 April, Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced “I am declaring that there is a climate emergency. And Scotland will live up to our responsibilty to tackle it”, in which she pledged Scotland will “lead by example”. It was noted that this speech was made after Sturgeon met with a group of young activists, as she explained ”they want governments around the world to declare a climate emergency”.

10% community shares for Dumfries wind farm

Renewable energy project developer Muirhall Energy has confirmed plans to partner with WWS Renewables to develop the 46MW Crossdykes Wind Farm in Dumfries and Galloway. Announced on 2 September, the project is expected to begin generating power in September 2020, with the potential to become one of the first subsidy- free developments in the UK. It will produce enough power for more than 45,000 homes. Muirhall Energy has offered the local community the chance to buy up to 10% of the project via a community share offer. Commenting on the announcement, Scottish Government Minister for Energy, Connectivity and the Islands Paul Wheelhouse said: “This is a landmark moment for onshore wind in Scotland, in fulfilling a key policy objective we set within Scotland’s Energy Strategy, and I very much hope this will be followed by many more similar developments as we seek to address the climate emergency”. Chris Walker, Managing Director of Muirhall Energy, said: “access to the Contract for Difference or some other support mechanism would make a huge difference to the economics of the sector, encouraging the build-out of some of the more challenging consented sites, therefore ensuring onshore wind makes the biggest possible contribution to meeting our net zero climate change targets whilst keeping bills down for consumers.”

What is a ‘Contract for Difference’? Low carbon generators with a Contract for Difference are paid the difference between the price of electricity reflective of the cost of investing in a low carbon technology, like the Crossdykes Wind Farm, and the average market price of electricity in the GB market.

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Energy tariff headlines

Switching on the increase after four-month low

Energy UK recorded 564,814 electricity switches in August 2019, up 15% from the number of switches in August 2018. With the third price default cap period coming into affect on 1 October 2019, the prepayment cap level will be set at £1,219 and £1,202 in respect of the Typical Domestic Consumption Value for northern and southern Scotland respectively. The default cap level was noted to rise by £77 and £76, to £1,181 and £1,163 for northern and southern Scotland respectively. In August, 36% of all switches were from larger to small and mid-tier suppliers. Total switching from small and mid-tier, and large suppliers, to larger suppliers fell by approximately 10% when compared to the previous month. Switching to small and mid-tier suppliers from larger suppliers was up 15%. As winter approaches, the lure of cheaper tariffs from small and mid-tier suppliers may have caused the increase as energy demand from homes rise due to the colder weather. Energy UK Chief Executive Lawrence Slade explained that the observed increase in the number of switches this year will play a part in increasing competition among suppliers for the active consumers. Slade urged that with the dropping temperatures, consumers should ensure that they are on the best deal and advised that further savings can be made by making improvements to energy efficiency, “by either getting a smart meter or investing in energy efficient measures such as roof insulation, which will also reduce household carbon footprints”.

Energy UK reveals customer satisfaction

Energy UK reveals that over a third of consumers who have not switched in the last four years are happy with their current supplier’s service (39%) or with the price of their tariff (34%). This was discovered under Energy UK’s Energy Switch Guarentee, a voluntary scheme for suppliers which ensures that switching is simple, with participating customers guaranteed a “reliable and hassle-free” switch within 21 days.

Scotland energy tarriffs are regularly covered in our issues of Local Energy Matters:Scotland, accessible here

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Scotland energy tariffs

Overview In this section, we illustrate the cheapest tariffs for August for various customer types (A-G) in Scotland. Customer types are described in our ‘Best buys’ section overleaf and are based on typical electricity and gas consumption values. The three main types of tariff are shown in the table below.

Tariff Definition

Standard variable A supply contract with an indefinite length, which has prices that tariff (SVT) can go up and down with the market.

Offers guaranteed standing charges and unit rates, usually until a Fixed tariff defined end date. A tariff for customers with prepayment meters, which requires Prepayment payment for energy in advance through ‘topping-up’ using prepay (PPM) tariff cards or a key. PPM tariffs can be fixed or variable.

August prices

Distribution networks are operated in the north and south of Scotland by two different companies: Scottish Hydro (north) and Scottish Power (south). As a result, tariff prices differ between these two regions. The cheapest deals for households in southern Scotland are consistently lower when compared to northern Scotland, largely due to reduced network charges.

The lowest average cost of fixed tariffs this month was £947 and £867 in northern and southern Scotland respectively. These cheapest deals were provided by a range of suppliers for customer types A-D in the north, with Outfox the Market (A and D), E.ON UK (B), Avro Energy (C), as Avro Energy also provided the cheapest tariffs for customers types A-D in the South. Nabuh Energy and Outfox the Market provided the cheapest deals for E-G for north and south respectively.

The average of the cheapest SVT deals across all customer types for northern and southern Scotland were £916 and £816 respectively this month. Outfox the Market provided the cheapest SVTs for A-D in the north and A-G in the south, while Green held best for north E types, Powershop was top for F and G north types. For PPM tariffs, the average price of the lowest cost deal across all customer types was £1,009 and £979 for northern and southern Scotland respectively. Bulb supplied the cheapest deals to customer types A-D for northern and southern Scotland while Nabuh Energy offered the lowest prices for E-G in both regions.

Useful Contacts

Citizens Advice Scotland is able to independently advise on your energy supply (Contact: 03454 04 05 06)

Home Energy Scotland is a network of local advice centres able to provide advice on home energy savings, greener travel and more (Contact: 0131 555 7900)

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Best buys in Scotland

A. Smaller electricity-heated homes Gas – 0kWh Electricity – 6,130kWh Key Supplier

Northern Southern SVT Outfox the Market Outfox the Market Fixed

Avro Energy Outfox the Market PPM

£908 £802 £865 £964

£972 £932 Bulb Bulb

B. All other electricity-heated Gas – 0kWh Electricity – 8,912kWh

Northern Southern Outfox the Market Outfox the Market

Avro Energy E.ON UK

£1,279 £1,128

£1,232 £1,367

£1,304 £1,363 Bulb Bulb

C. Smaller non-metered fuel-heated Gas – 0kWh Electricity – 3,383kWh homes Northern Southern Outfox the Market Outfox the Market

Avro Energy Avro Energy £542 £478

£566 £503

£586 £564 Bulb Bulb

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D. All other non-metered fuel-heated Gas – 0kWh Electricity – 4,814kWh homes Northern Southern Outfox the Market Outfox the Market

Outfox the Market Avro Energy £733 £648 £769 £692

£787 £756 Bulb Bulb

E. Single adults in social rented flats Gas – 10,592kWh Electricity – 2,640kWh

Northern Southern Green Outfox the Market Outfox the Nabuh Energy Market

£821 £736

£825 £772

£948 £931

Nabuh Energy Nabuh Energy

F. Younger working families in Gas – 13,595kWh Electricity – 3,491kWh medium-sized rented homes

Northern Southern Powershop Outfox the Market Outfox the Nabuh Energy Market

£1,036 £931

£1,040 £974

£1,172 £1,149 Nabuh Energy Nabuh Energy

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G. “Average” mains gas-heated Gas – 15,280kWh Electricity – 3,585kWh households

Northern Southern Powershop Outfox the Market

Nabuh Energy Outfox the Market £1,095 £991

£1,103 £1,033

£1,240 £1,216

Nabuh Energy Nabuh Energy

Switching savings

New-entry suppliers often enter the GB retail market with innovative and disruptive technology to attract customers away from the Big Six suppliers. This month, we have calculated the savings that an average customer switching supply from a Big Six supplier to one of the cheapest tariff suppliers would have made. The annual potential savings are as follows:

• Fixed tariff customer switching is usually rarer due to exit fees. However, if switching this month, fixed tariff customers could make savings of £125 in northern Scotland and £151 in southern Scotland (excluding additional costs). • SVT customers switching could save £278 and £356 in the north and south of Scotland respectively • PPM customers switching tariff could benefit from savings of £193 in the north and £199 in the south.

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Renewable energy news

EDF Renewables to create £12mn community fund

EDF Renewables announced on 5 September that it has opened its Dorenell wind farm in Moray, Scotland. The wind farm is the largest onshore wind site in Europe owned by the company.

Dorenell wind farm, which has 59 turbines, each capable of generating 3MW, was fully commissioned at the end of March. It produces enough electricity for 106,000 homes. The wind farm also provides a community benefit package worth around £12mn over its lifetime. A decision on the distribution of the community fund will draw on the Dorenell Community Development Plan and will integrate views from representatives from Dufftown and District Community Association, Glenrinnes Community Centre, Glenlivet and Inveravon Community Association and Cabrach Community Association.

EDF Renewables CEO, Matthieu Hue, said: “It has been a great day here at Dorenell wind farm and we are proud to have reached this milestone which is another positive step towards the UK’s ambitions to reach net zero carbon emissions. […] We take a long term approach to the wind farms we develop and recognise the importance of supporting those communities in which we operate. It is great local people were able to join us to mark the opening of this project – and that local initiatives in the area will now be able to share in the success of the wind farm and benefit from the community fund in the future”.

Independent review commends Clear Air Strategy

An independent review announced on 29 August that Scotland has been performing well regarding its air quality by both EU and global standards. The review, chaired by Professional Campbell Gemmell, revealed that emissions continue to fall as a result of Scotland’s Cleaner Air Strategy, and has recommended a precautionary public health approach to air pollution reduction. This also includes further consideration on the impact of new building developments on air quality levels. Additionally, the report finds that further emphasis should be given to the shift to more sustainable transport modes such as electric vehicles or low carbon alternatives to traditional fuels.

Green Party launches climate emergency roadmap The Scottish Green New Deal was announced on 29 August by the Scottish Green Party as a way to drive the transition towards a low-carbon economy. It was broken down into a number of aims to achieve this with the focus to transition to zero carbon energy, to support the low carbon green manufacturing sector, to reduce emissions from Scotland’s transport sector, to provide a warm affordable home to everyone in Scotland and to ensure that economic growth is in line with supporting Scotland’s wellbeing. The Scottish Green New Deal includes a roadmap of policies, incentives and investments to achieve these aims of transforming all sectors of the Scottish economy.

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World Wildlife Fund Scotland Director, Lang Banks, added that the Green New Deal “that develops a flourishing climate-neutral economy is a crucial step in our efforts to tackle the climate crisis. With the right action we can create new jobs, and a healthier, fairer and more prosperous Scotland for us all”.

Dundee host world’s most powerful tidal turbine

It was announced on 13 August that a 2MW tidal energy turbine, powerful enough to generate energy for more than 1,700 homes, is to be built in the quayside facilities in Dundee. The project will be fronted by two Scottish- based companies, Orbital Marine Power and manufacturing partner TEXO

Group, a first-timer when it comes to the commercial tidal turbines.

The project has been paid for through EU Horizon 2020, a funding channel paid for by the EU to remove barriers for innovation and drive economic growth. Additionally, the Scottish Government has invested £3.2mn in the project and is also supported by a £7mn crowdfunding offer which Orbital successfully raised at the start of the year.

Andrew Scott, Orbital’s Chief Executive Officer, explained that testing of the new turbine over the past two years has proved its “low-cost approach to generating clean, predictable power from tidal stream energy”. John Alexander, Leader at Dundee City Council, explained that the turbine will provide “a huge boost for the city” with Dundee “well-positioned to supply the coastal infrastructure”. Alexander believes that the project will provide “sustainable jobs […] that pay the living wage and offer future opportunities for our young people, but not at the cost of the environment”. Scotland currently has an estimated one third of the UK’s tidal stream resources. The turbine is to begin operation next year.

£370mn energy-from-waste plant to be built

An energy-from-waste plant will be built at the East Tullos Industrial Estate in Aberdeen and will process 150,000 tonnes of non-recyclable municipal solid waste (everyday domestic and non-domestic waste) every year to generate electricity. Acciona, a Spanish renewable energy firm, won the €400mn (£370mn) 20-year contract to build and operate the plant.

It is expected that the project will offer around 40 full-time jobs. The scheme, labelled the NESS Energy project, works by substituting the fossil fuels traditionally burnt in electricity plants for waste to produce electricity. It is expected to provide a long-term, sustainable solution for non-recyclable municipal solid waste produced in Aberdeenshire and

Moray. The facility has been projected to be accepting waste for commissioning by January 2022, and fully operational by August 2022.

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Programme for Government targets heat and transport

The Scottish Government published its 2019 Programme for Government on 3 September, laying out measures on energy among other sectors. The document includes the legislative programme for the next parliamentary year, until the Scottish election in 2021. This year’s programme saw a strong focus on measures to tackle climate change following the country’s commitment to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045 at the latest. Many of the energy-related commitments were laid out as responses to the Climate Emergency Response Group. These include: • Four new Green City Region deals • Action on the carbon capture and storage infrastructure • Action to ensure Scotland’s city centres will be vehicle emission free by 2030 • Acceleration of Scotland’s energy retrofit scheme • New standards to deliver zero-carbon homes and building • The creation of a Scottish Heat Pump Sector deal The Scottish Government also made other major commitments regarding transport in response to the climate emergency. The Government will aim to decarbonise flights within Scotland by 2040 and passenger rail services by 2035, notably ahead of the UK’s target of 2040. A further £17mn will be made available for zero interest loans to support the purchase of ultra-low emission vehicles. The public sector fleet will aim to decarbonise by 2025. The measures were widely welcomed by environmental campaign groups and climate organisations. Chair of the Committee on Climate Change (CCC), Lord Deben, said “this Programme for Government shows Scotland is serious about its commitment to tackling climate change and aware of the associated benefits for the planet, the Scottish people, and the economy.” He particularly welcomed commitments on transport, which Deben described as “the most polluting sector of the Scottish economy” and on buildings, which he said were “some of the least energy efficient in Europe”. However, Policy Director for Scottish Renewables, Morag Watson, added a note of caution. Although Watson welcomed the plans put forward, she added: “Scotland’s renewable energy industry will only be able to rise to the challenge if Government regulation and support is consistent with the needs of the climate emergency.” In 2020, the Scottish Government will update its Climate Action Plan in light of advice from the CCC to set out the extent to which renewable and low- carbon generation will need to combine in order to meet the net zero target. The Government is also in the process of developing an Offshore Wind Policy Statement to outline its ambitions for the sector.

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Electric vehicles update

BEV registration reach record levels across August

August saw a surge in EV registrations in the UK. The Society for Motor Manufacturers and Traders released figures for August showing 3,147 battery electric vehicles were registered. This is a 377% increase on last August, where only 659 BEVs were registered. As a whole, the car market remained steady with little change in diesel and petrol sales. However, zero emission vehicle uptake with registrations overall nearly up fivefold. Figure 1: Percentage change of car registration by type between 2018 and 2019

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50 Percentage change(%)Percentage 0 -50 Diesel Petrol BEV PHEV HEV MHEV MHEV diesel petrol -100 Source: Pixie Energy EO Charging and LEVC partner to provide EV andEO Charging EV infrastructure and London EV Company across (LEVC) Scotland have come together to provide EV and charging infrastructure across Scotland. The deal between the two companies will bring supply and installation of smart home charge points from EO Charging. LEVC, known for creating the UK’s first electric taxis, will open up its first dealership providing electric commercial vehicles in Glasgow. As part of the executive deal worked out by EO Charging and LEVC, EO Charging will offer customers who own a LEVC vehicle an EO Mini Pro, a small EV home charging unit. The head of Commercial Sales at EO Charging, Ryan Spillane, explained that “taxi and commerical vehicle drivers need to think carefully about the next vehicle they purchase” in order to support Scotland’s commitment to reducing congestion and improving air quality. He noted steps were made last year, with the first low-emission zone introduced in Glasgow, and further plans being drawn up for low-emission zones in Edinburgh, Dundee and Aberdeen. Head of EV Infrastructure at LEVC, Richard Turnbull, furthered that “Smart home charging provides our customers with a range of benefits including the ability to schedule charging and take advantage of off-peak energy tariffs, which is especially important to commercial vehicle operators.” 14 | P a g e

Electric vehicle charge points on the rise

ChargePlace Scotland now has over 1,000 publicly available electric vehicle charge points, demonstrating the continued progress occurring in Scotland which now hosts arguably one of the most comprehensive electric vehicle charging networks in Europe. Rates of development are expected to slow down as ChargePlace announced earlier this year that its seeking to develop a further 800 public charge points, notably far in excess of the 150 originally proposed in the 2018 Programme for Government. The figures represent strong determination from the Scottish Government to phase out new petrol and diesel cars and vans by 2032. The Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity, Michael Matheson, made the announcement as he visited East Ayrshire Council’s first fully electric car park on Waterside Street in Kilmarnock. The council has received over half a million pounds in 2018-19 from the Scottish Government to support this project among others. Matheson added, when commenting on the success of electric vehicle charging in Scotland, “world-class charging infrastructure is critical in developing range confidence and encouraging people to make the switch to EVs. At the same time, the continued development of our infrastructure sends a global message that Scotland is ready for a revolution in e-mobility”.

New partnership for EV charging

A new partnership including Transport Scotland, SP Energy Networks and Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) was announced on 29 August to deliver more electric vehicle charging points across Scotland. £7.5mn funding for the project was contributed by the Scottish Government (£5mn) and network companies (£2.5mn). Trials will be taking place in 2020 and 2021. SSEN will work on identifying the appropriate charging infrastructure in the north of Scotland to support the increase in people with an electric vehicle. In central and southern Scotland, SP Energy Networks plan to install additional public electric vehicle chargers that are integrated into the electricity networks. Speaking during a visit to University of Strathclyde’s Power Networks Demonstration Centre, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said “this partnership highlights the critical role that electricity networks have to play in delivering a zero carbon energy system, and in facilitating an electric vehicle revolution […] [it] will develop a new model for delivering both EV charging and electricity network infrastructure which can more effectively satisfy Scotland’s ambitions, including delivering inclusive universal access to the benefits of the decarbonisation of transport”.

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BBC collects Orkney views on EVs

The BBC published an article on 13 August on Orkney’s relationship with Electric Vehicles (EVs), explaining that it holds one of the highest uptakes of EVs in the UK. With over 2% of the total cars and vans on the roads in Orkney being fully electric, a number of views were collated in the report.

It included one from a newly qualified driver, as she found that after an EV test drive, the car was a lot smoother and produced a lot less noise. She added “when I get the money, I’ll come and get one”. Jonathon Porterfield, owner of Ecocars, noted to have sold a large proportion of the 200 fully electric vehicles in Scotland, believes that interest is growing fast with some customers buying online without a test drive. An owner of one of the many EV’s added that “people have fed back how easy it is to drive an electric vehicle, [and] how easy the automatic gearbox is”. The report compared the cots of driving EVs to fossil fueled vehicles, noting that to drive 100 miles, it currently costs £2-£3 in a full electric car compared to the £10 or more for a petrol or diesel car. Free public charging was recently abolished in Orkney, although it remains free across Scotland, as it was explained this was due to a non-profit model for EV infrastructure costs.

Developer launches innovative EV app

Scottish digital company Sanctus Media launched a new electric vehicle charging app called WattsUp. The app is designed to help electric vehicle drivers locate charge points across the UK. It allows the driver to plan a route around clearly identified chargers, with the function to provide live updates on the operational status of the chargers en-route as well as the location of the nearest rapid chargers from the users location.

The app was developed and launched thanks to a £36,000 funding boost from the Green Economy Fund, which was established to help the Government meet emission targets. These targets aim to boost local economic growth and improve air quality in cities. Mike Gill, WattsUp Developer at Sanctus Media, said: “We are extremely pleased to be able to launch WattsUp on Google Play and open up our technology to motorists who use Android devices, thanks to the funding and support from the Green Economy Fund. At WattsUp we are committed to creating a greener future for everyone in Scotland and beyond and we hope that the launch of the app will encourage more people to make greener journeys and embrace electric vehicles”. The app is now available for download and hopes to help motorists make use of the rapidly growing electric vehicle infrastructure across the UK. Pixie Energy operates the Scottish Energy News website. Please visit www.scottishenergynews.com to keep up-to-date on developments in the Scottish energy market or contact us on 01603 542119 or by email at [email protected] for more information.

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