Cairngorms National Park Energy Options Appraisal Study Final Report for Cairngorms National Park Authority Prepared for: Cairngorms National Park Authority Prepared by: SAC Consulting: Environment & Design Checked by: Henry Collin Date: 14 December 2011 Certificate FS 94274 Certificate EMS 561094 ISO 9001:2008 ISO 14001:2004 Cairngorms National Park Energy Options Appraisal Study Contents 1 Introduction .............................................................................................................................. 1 1.1 Brief .................................................................................................................................. 1 1.2 Policy Context ................................................................................................................... 1 1.3 Approach .......................................................................................................................... 3 1.4 Structure of this Report ..................................................................................................... 4 2 National Park Context .............................................................................................................. 6 2.1 Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 6 2.2 Socio Economic Profile ..................................................................................................... 6 2.3 Overview of Environmental Constraints .......................................................................... 10 2.4 Physical Constraints ....................................................................................................... 15 2.5 Energy Context ............................................................................................................... 16 3 Woodfuel ............................................................................................................................... 20 3.1 Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 20 3.2 Technology Summary ..................................................................................................... 20 3.3 Existing Level of Deployment .......................................................................................... 21 3.4 Energy Resource in the CNP .......................................................................................... 22 3.5 Environmental Effects ..................................................................................................... 24 3.6 Energy Potential ............................................................................................................. 26 3.7 Cumulative Issues .......................................................................................................... 31 4 Wind ...................................................................................................................................... 33 4.1 Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 33 4.2 Technology Summary ..................................................................................................... 33 4.3 Existing Level of Deployment .......................................................................................... 35 4.4 Energy Resource in the CNP .......................................................................................... 35 4.5 Environmental Effects ..................................................................................................... 36 4.6 Energy Potential ............................................................................................................. 40 SAC Environment and Design Cairngorms National Park Energy Options Appraisal Study 4.7 Cumulative Issues .......................................................................................................... 43 5 Hydro-Electric ........................................................................................................................ 45 5.1 Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 45 5.2 Technology Summary ..................................................................................................... 45 5.3 Existing Level of Deployment .......................................................................................... 46 5.4 Energy Resource in the CNP .......................................................................................... 47 5.5 Environmental Effects ..................................................................................................... 49 5.6 Energy Potential ............................................................................................................. 52 5.7 Cumulative Issues .......................................................................................................... 55 6 Anaerobic Digestion ............................................................................................................... 57 6.1 Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 57 6.2 Technology Summary ..................................................................................................... 57 6.3 Existing Level of Deployment .......................................................................................... 58 6.4 Energy Resource in the CNP .......................................................................................... 58 6.5 Environmental Effects ..................................................................................................... 61 6.6 Energy Potential ............................................................................................................. 63 6.7 Cumulative Issues .......................................................................................................... 64 7 Solar ...................................................................................................................................... 66 7.1 Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 66 7.2 Technology Summary ..................................................................................................... 66 7.3 Existing Level of Deployment .......................................................................................... 67 7.4 Energy Resource in the CNP .......................................................................................... 68 7.5 Environmental Effects ..................................................................................................... 69 7.6 Energy Potential ............................................................................................................. 70 7.7 Cumulative Issues .......................................................................................................... 72 8 Heat Pumps ........................................................................................................................... 73 8.1 Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 73 SAC Environment and Design Cairngorms National Park Energy Options Appraisal Study 8.2 Technology Summary ..................................................................................................... 73 8.3 Existing Level of Deployment .......................................................................................... 74 8.4 Energy Resource in the CNP .......................................................................................... 74 8.5 Environmental Effects ..................................................................................................... 74 8.6 Energy Potential ............................................................................................................. 76 8.7 Cumulative Issues .......................................................................................................... 78 9 Wider Benefits and Impacts ................................................................................................... 79 9.1 Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 79 9.2 Wider Benefits ................................................................................................................ 79 9.3 Energy Future ................................................................................................................. 84 9.4 Cumulative Impacts ........................................................................................................ 90 10 Enabling Renewable Energy .............................................................................................. 94 10.1 Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 94 10.2 Key Findings ................................................................................................................... 94 10.3 Recommendations for Enabling Renewable Energy ....................................................... 98 10.4 Energy Vision ..............................................................................................................