Shetland Energy Showcase 2022

The Future Energy Team forms part of the SIC Climate Change Programme: SIC CCP

Aims of the Future Energy Team include:

• To make Shetland the home of secure and affordable clean energy by harnessing the island’s abundant natural resources to generate green hydrogen through onshore and offshore wind, tidal and wave energy.
• To enable a just transition across various industries that are vital to Shetlanders.
• To decrease the islands' dependency on the current heavy reliance of fossil fuels.

This includes ensuring their are benefits to the community in any new energy development, through economic growth, skilled jobs and more affordable energy. The team is currently creating an energy strategy to help shape Shetland's energy future.

ORION is a strategic framework connecting organisations with a common ambition: to transform the Shetland region into a centre for secure and affordable clean energy.

Its vision is transformative and will place Shetland at the heart of cutting-edge clean energy developments, create a highly skilled workforce in the isles, and provide economic security for years to come.

The project has brought together UK and Scottish government agencies, regulators, industry stakeholders, and other key organisations to develop a far-reaching clean energy plan for Shetland and the wider region.

ORION aims to harness the natural resources of Shetland – onshore and offshore wind, tidal and wave energy – to generate hydrogen and enable the electrification of oil and gas installations to reduce emissions and create a sustainable and affordable clean energy future.

More information can be found on this website.

The NEPTUNE Project was a feasibility study that aimed to develop a desk-based decision modelling and support system digital tool to help analyse, scope and develop ORION marine opportunities. It looked at how to model the current situation within Shetland and how to identify the correct path to decarbonise the marine sector.

NEPTUNE was funded through the UK Government’s Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition which sought projects researching decarbonisation of the marine environment and sector. The project ran for 7-months starting on 7 September 2021 and was completed by 31 March 2022. The University of Strathclyde led the project and worked with Shetland Islands Council, Ricardo who focused on simulation of the vessel energy use, review of the land-based elements of the project and development of the Decision Modelling and Support System (DEMOSS) tool, and Babcock who focused on vessel retrofit/replacement and a selection of clean fuels.

More information, including final reports, can be found here: NEPTUNE Project

The Net Zero Technology Centre (NZTC) are one of the strategic partners in the ORION project. Their purpose is to develop and deploy technology for an affordable net zero energy industry.

They aim to accelerate the energy transition by closing the gap in net zero technologies.

Our world is facing two great challenges: reducing our carbon emissions to net zero and continuing to meet our energy needs. As industries transition, we must ensure resilient and affordable energy supplies. For the oil and gas sector and other hard to decarbonise industries to support the UK’s net zero target, innovation is key.

NZTC work with their partners on these challenges, seizing the opportunity to inspire creativity, drive innovation, and secure support needed to deliver sustainable energy long term.

More information can be found on their website: Net Zero Technology Centre

Shetland Heat Energy & Power have been supplying district heating to homes and businesses in Lerwick for over 20 years.

District Heating is a system for distributing heat generated from a centralised location for residential and commercial heating requirements.

In the Lerwick context, heat is generated through the Energy Recovery Plant (ERP), using local municipal refuse from Shetland and Orkney to generate heat. This is used to heat water which is then circulated through a series of approximately 40km of network pipes, buried through the streets of Lerwick. This network consists of a Flow and Return main line which supplies each individual customer meeting their heating and hot water needs eliminating their need for conventional oil boilers, solid fuel fires or electric storage heating.

More information is available here: Shetland Heat Energy & Power (SHEAP)

Malakoff Limited isShetland’s longest-established engineering and fabrication contractor with maintained expertise in marine engineering as well as a comprehensive range of service in a number if sectors including oil and gas, utilities and renewable sectors.

Their well-trained workforce and project managers are capable of delivering highly-effective multi-disciplinary engineering services of varying scale and complexity to the highest of standards.

Malakoff have recently received £30,000 of funding from the UK Government to create a small, fully electric workboat.

More information is available on their website: Malakoff Limited

Edinburgh-based Nova Innovation is a world-leading tidal energy company designing, building and operating tidal turbines that generate electricity from the ebb and flow of the tide. In 2016 Nova installed the World’s first offshore tidal array in Bluemull Sound, Shetland and has been powering homes and businesses in Shetland ever since. In 2018, partnering with Tesla, Nova launched the world’s first baseload tidal power station there and in 2019, created the world’s first electric vehicle (EV) charge point powered purely by the tide which is widely used by those local to Cullivoe.

Nova has arrays and project sites in Scotland, Wales, France, Canada and Indonesia. This year sees the deployment of their first international turbine into the Petit Passage, Bay of Fundy, Nova Scotia as well as the installation of 2 further turbines into the Shetland Tidal Array making it the array with the largest number of turbines anywhere in the world.

In 2022, Nova announced they had been awarded an Option Agreement from Crown Estate Scotland to develop a 15MW tidal array at Yell Sound, between the islands of Yell and Bigga. That array is predicted to meet over a third of household electricity demand in Shetland.

Some useful information can be found here: Nova Innovation

More information is available on the Nova Innovation Website

The North Yell Development Council is one of Shetlands oldest and most successful community development organisations. They operate the 4.5MW Garth Wind Farm, generating renewable energy since 2017, with profits invested back into the community such as a new marina and enlarged upgraded business park. Their motto ‘Enterprise, Initiative and Self Help’ fits the project’s aspirations well.

The benefits of the Garth Wind Farm to the community are two-fold:

1. the five 900kW wind turbines generate clean electricity for the local grid
2. the profit created is invested back into the local community via NYDC.

These funds have allowed the group to employ a Development Manager who is available to assist groups, businesses and individuals within the community. NYDC have also provided community grants and donations to local facilities, groups and charities, as well as COVID response packages to community members.

As of March 2022 the Garth Wind Farm had produced 67,341,700 kWh of electricity since it was commissioned.

More information can be found here: North Yell Development Council

At SSEN Transmission we are responsible for the electricity transmission network in the north of Scotland, including our works to connect Shetland to the GB grid. Our network extends over a quarter of the UK’s land mass, crossing some of its most challenging terrain and powering our communities by providing a safe and reliable supply of electricity.

Scotland’s transmission network has a strategic role to play in supporting delivery of the UK’s net zero target. We’re already a mass exporter of renewable energy, with around two thirds of power generated in our network area exported south. Our Net Zero report, published last year, shows how the North of Scotland can contribute 10% of the action needed to enable the UK and Scotland to meet their net zero goals. Connecting Shetland is a part of this, enabling the vast renewable energy opportunities off Shetlands shores to be connected and exported, while provide security of supply and decarbonising the electricity grid of the islands themselves.

Come see us at the Shetland Energy Showcase on Saturday 24^th September & Saturday 1^st October to find out more about how we are acting on climate change. We’ll be talking about facilitating the transition to net zero while minimising our own impacts through our sustainability initiatives, and more specifically the role of Shetland and our work on the Islands as a part of this. We will have representatives from our Customers, Sustainability and Communities team there at our stalls at the events along with some fun family friendly activities to bring climate action and net zero to life.

We’re Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) Distribution - the electricity Distribution Network Operator (DNO) responsible for delivering power to over 3.8 million homes and businesses across the north of Scotland and central southern England.

Keeping the power flowing for our customers on Shetland

We’re proud to be powering our communities, and here on Shetland our highly skilled teams are on hand 24/7 to ensure a safe, secure supply of electricity to the islands’ homes and businesses.

Most of Shetland’s electricity is currently supplied by two fossil-fuel power stations, with the remainder being supplied by renewable generators.

Shetland’s main electricity generation sources are:

Lerwick Power Station (LPS) - a 72.8MW diesel-fired station that provides around 50% of Shetland’s electricity on an annual basis.

Over the past 18 months we’ve invested in Lerwick Power Station, by installing a new engine and 8MW battery to supplement the existing station, and to further increase the amount of renewable generation which can be accommodated on the network.

Sullom Voe Terminal (SVT) Power Station - an independently owned gas-fired power station, which meets around 30% of Shetland’s demand.

The station’s primary purpose is to supply electricity to the Sullom Voe gas terminal, but it also provides power to the Shetland system through a contractual arrangement.

Renewables - a number of small independent and community-based renewable generators, including wind and tidal, which currently contribute around 20% of the islands’ electricity supply.

Our Grid Supply Point project

Once the Shetland Islands are connected to mainland GB via the new High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) subsea cable and the new onshore 132kV network currently under construction by SSEN Transmission, the distribution and transmission networks will be connected at a new substation – this is what is known as a Grid Supply Point (GSP) – at Lerwick.

You can read more about our work on Shetland here - https://www.ssen.co.uk/about-ssen/our-works/shetland-energy

SSE Renewables is a leading developer and operator of renewable energy across the UK and Ireland, with a portfolio of around 4GW of onshore wind, offshore wind and hydro. Their strategy is to drive the transition to a net zero future – through the world class development, construction and operation of renewable energy assets.

This includes the development of the Viking Energy Wind Farm (VEWF), currently under construction in the central Mainland of Shetland. VEWF will be a 103-turbine, 443MW onshore wind farm that will harness the excellent wind conditions in Shetland to be capable of producing enough energy to power the equivalent of almost half a million homes, including every home in Shetland.

When complete in 2024, VEWF will be the UK’s most productive onshore wind farm in terms of annual electricity output, while saving around 0.5 million tons of CO₂ emissions each year. The wind farm has an expected carbon payback over its full lifecycle of less than two years (calculated at 1.65 years). ^ It will play a crucial role in contributing towards the UK and Scotland’s net zero targets.

Viking brings direct benefits to the community. It is expected that over 400 jobs will be created during construction with multiple supply and sub-contract opportunities for local businesses. Vestas, who will supply and operate VEWF’s turbines during the operational lifetime of the wind farm, is now recruiting operation and maintenance staff. It is committed to the training of local people and apprentices, and VEWF is also supporting local schools and colleges to encourage STEM careers.

Footnotes

^ Most productive UK onshore wind farm based on projected total generation output by Viking Wind Farm of 1,796.35 GWh per annum and a comparison with the leading UK operational and in construction wind farms.

*475,099 homes powered per annum based on annual GB average domestic household consumption base of 3.781MWh published by the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) as of November 2018, and projected total generation output by Viking Wind Farm of 1,796.35 GWh per annum.

The Energy Efficiency Team form part of the wider SIC Climate Change Programme.

Aims of the Energy Efficiency Team:

• To manage energy efficiency across the SIC estate (excluding housing) and the Government’s Area Based Scheme (ABS) for energy efficiency retrofit in private/private rented properties.
• Energy efficiency in public buildings, expansion of public and fleet charge points, energy efficiency retro-fit surveys for domestic properties (under ABS and Warmer Homes), coordination/liaison between customer and contractors, and compliance checks of works carried out.
• To raise awareness and supporting community energy efficiency.

What We Do:

• Council buildings energy efficiency: Upgraded LED lighting within buildings, heating system control upgrades for efficient running of system. Solar installation on appropriate council buildings.
• ABS and warm works assessments: Staff within the service provide the area based insulation scheme to private householders within Shetland as well as assessments on properties for warm works funding.
• Fuel poverty project: Enhancing the customer experience to ensure individuals get the support they require from a multiple of agencies as efficiently as possible.
• LHEES (Local heat and energy strategy): The strategy aims to decarbonise heat and energy within buildings in Shetland. Data analysis allows the SIC to target areas within Shetland that require work to decarbonise buildings.
• EV infrastructure strategy/implementation: The SIC are required to produce a strategy to ensure the charging infrastructure for electric vehicles matches the demand. Throughout the construction of the strategy more charging points are being added to the charging infrastructure within the isles.

Shetland Islands Council have over 1700 properties for rent. These properties are spread throughout Shetland and include General Needs, Sheltered and Temporary Accommodation.

To apply for Housing or find out more information on the Housing Service, please visit our website at Housing – Shetland Islands Council.

Household and Energy Advice

For Household and Energy, please visit the Tenants information section of our website: Household and Energy Efficiency Advice

Advice is provided on the following topics:

• How to get Household Energy Advice
• Energy Saving Tips
• Tips to Prevent Dampness, Condensation and Mould
• Links to Home Energy Scotland’s Energy Saving Advice

Housing Repair and Maintenance

For information on our Planned Maintenance Programme please visit the Housing Repair and Maintenance section of our website: Housing Repairs and Maintenance.

A new Planned Maintenance Programme for our properties is currently being developed. This will take into consideration the new energy efficiency (EESSH2) regulations which are currently under review.

The programme will cover component replacements including heating & insulation works, roof, kitchen, bathroom, windows & doors replacements and external refurbishments.

Our searchable planned maintenance programme details works that will take place during 2022/23. We are unable to provide detailed information on future works until such time as the EESSH2 strategy has been developed.

More information on the Energy Efficency Standard for Social Housing (EESSH) is available on the Scottish Governments website using the following link: Home energy and fuel poverty

Hjatland Housing Association provides high-quality housing and supports communities throughout Shetland.

The Association has grown to deliver 844 homes, distributed throughout Shetland from Unst to Sumburgh, and from Sandness to Whalsay. Around half the Association's houses are situated in Lerwick. Hjaltland has a healthy development programme and is currently building properties in Upper Scalloway, Walls and Brae. Design works are taking place for a development in Aith and North Staneyhill, Lerwick is under design with anticipated construction of the main road and service infrastructure due to commence in summer of 2023.

As well as providing for single people, couples and families, the Association works closely with Shetland Islands Council to provide homes for people with particular housing needs. Hjaltland's website showcases available properties and information on how to apply.

Hjaltland is currently carrying out a trial project aimed at improving energy efficiency in 3 of its hard-to-treat older properties using a fabric first approach involving internal wall and under floor insulation. There is also comprehensive Energy Advice available for all tenants.

The Association was a partner in the pioneering smart grid Northern Isles New Energy Solutions (NINES) project. The project aimed to improve and stabilise the electricity grid in Shetland, ultimately allowing more renewables to the grid. Hjaltland worked with Scottish & Southern Electricity Networks and Glen Dimplex with a focus on Direct Service Management. 234 Hjaltland homes were installed with domestic space and water heating appliances and tenants allowed SSEN to control when the energy required for each appliance was delivered.

Home Energy Scotland helps people in Scotland create warmer homes, reduce their energy bills, and lower their carbon footprint.

They are funded by the Scottish Government and managed by Energy Saving Trust.

They work with people and organisations to help tackle fuel poverty and the climate emergency.

They do this through a network of regional advice centres covering all of Scotland, which offer local knowledge and expert advice on:

• saving energy and keeping warm at home
• funding options including Scottish Government grants and interest free loans
• installing renewable energy at home
• greener travel including electric vehicles and ebikes
• cutting water waste.

To get in touch use their online form which you can find with this link: https://www.homeenergyscotland.org/ or call free on 0808 808 2282 or message on social media.

The Citizens Advice Bureau provides free, impartial and confidential advice on any topic.

At CAB we offer specialist energy advice to help people access emergency fuel vouchers, tackle fuel debt, and resolve billing issues. We also carry out “benefit checks” to make sure people are getting all the help they are entitled to. This also allows us to provide advice on reducing fuel costs by using and paying for energy in the most efficient ways.

Additional Resource Links:

• Shetland Islands Citizens Advice Bureau
• Energy advice for businesses | Ofgem
• Getting help if you can't afford your energy bills | Ofgem
• SICAB Annual Report 2021-2022
• Attendance Allowance
• Energy Bills - Making Sense of Them
• Energy Efficiency - How to use your House
• How to Access CAB Energy Advice
• Storage Heaters - Making the Most of Them

Business Energy Scotland is funded by the Scottish Government and helps Scottish businesses use less energy and cut carbon emissions - boosting their productivity, their competitiveness and their profits.

Their team of energy efficiency experts provide independent and impartial support to help businesses not only identify cost saving opportunities but also, through ongoing support, to realise those savings opportunities.

They also provide a range of free resources including self-help guides, training workshops and webinars, together with free tools and templates.

Plus they also provide access to the Scottish Government’s SME Loan Scheme which provides interest free loans and cashback grants to help Scottish businesses fund energy efficiency improvements

•The service has identified over £200million of savings for Scottish SMEs - through implementation of resource efficiency measures

•Typically 24% energy savings average identified for a business – what would that kind of financial saving mean for your business?

•In independent assessments, 9/10 of their customers said they would recommend the service to other businesses.

Give them a call to see how much you could save.

To find out more, call Business Energy Scotland on 0808 808 2268 or visit their website.

Business Gateway is a publicly funded service contributing to the economic well-being of Scotland by providing access to free business support services. Business Gateway Shetland is based at North Ness, Lerwick and provides support to individuals and businesses in Shetland with access to quality, practical advice and guidance - whether you are starting or growing a business.

Through the service a range of professional resources, support and tools are available to help learn new skills, create new opportunities and develop sustainable strategies for growth including online resources and practical, direct, one-to-one business adviser support.

The service also has strong partnerships with a wide variety of support organisations ensuring Shetland’s businesses access to suitable and specific advice – all for free.

More information on how Business Gateway can support your business can be found here: Shetland - Local Support | Business Gateway

You can call Business Gateway Shetland on 01595 745 945 or email businessgateway@shetland.gov.uk for more information.

Highlands & Islands Enterprise are the economic and community development agency for the north and west of Scotland.

Having a local base in Shetland, they provide Support for Businesses of all sizes and across all sectors through advice, funding and property.

Along with local authorities, Business Gateway, Skills Development Scotland and Scottish Development International, HIE offer a full range of products and services to tackle everything from business planning to product development, financing, skills, growth and exporting, as well as helping you develop fair work and an inclusive approach to your business development.

As part of the Scottish Government’s commitment to transition to net zero by 2045, projects that align to this ambition and support green economic growth in the Highlands and Islands, may be supported through the Green Jobs Capital fund. This fund supports businesses and social enterprises to create and retain jobs that produce goods or services that benefit the environment or conserve natural resources, as well as jobs that help drive more environmentally friendly processes in organisations across our region. The funding is for capital expenditure only for example machinery, fixtures and fittings, IT infrastructure or R&D projects that are capitalised on your balance sheet. More information can be found here: Green Jobs Capital Fund

HIE can also provide specific support relating to energy and net zero, including a Net Zero Toolkit which offers a selection of useful links to start you off on your net zero journey. A selection of net zero videos can be found here: Net Zero film showcase | HIE

You can browse all their support services by using this link: Browse All Support Services

Shetland Islands Council is committed to improving the economic health and wellbeing of the isles by promoting innovation and diversity in the private sector, and supporting local communities in their efforts to generate economic activity. The Council's Economic Development Service aims to stimulate local economic activity by supporting individuals, businesses and organisations to turn ideas into commercial reality and ensure that good, commercially viable proposals do not fail from a lack of access to finance.

Through the Economic Development Grant Scheme, financial assistance can be provided by both grant support to assist businesses with costs related to developing projects, where these projects meet key eligibility criteria and will result in extensive local benefits. Commercial finance, typically through loans, can be provided as gap funding or co-investment and, in some cases, equity and hire purchase finance can also be considered where there are specific advantages to these forms of finance.

The service also operates the Shetland Business Start Up Grant Scheme, in conjunction with Highlands and Islands Enterprise. A key objective of the scheme is to encourage and support new businesses which will contribute to Shetland’s transition to net zero.

All applicants are required to maximise other private and public sector forms of funding before approaching the Council, however the service can provide assistance to applicants to identify other funding sources.

More information on the Economic Development Grant Scheme and how to apply can be found here: Economic Development grant scheme

More information on Commercial Finance and how to apply can be found here: Commercial loans from the Council

More information on Shetland Business Start Up Grant Scheme and how to apply can be found here: Shetland Business Start Up Grant

You can call Shetland Islands Council’s Economic Development Service on 01595 744 940 or email economicdevelopment@shetland.gov.uk for more information.

Shetland Islands Council Community Planning and Development service can offer support and funding advice to local community groups looking to get involved in net zero projects.

This includes grant schemes administered by Shetland Islands Council such as the Coastal Communities Fund, designed to mobilise change and deliver positive outcomes for Shetland and its communities.

More information can be found here: Coastal Communities Fund – Shetland Islands Council

The Shetland Net Zero Energy Forum are championing Shetland's transition to net zero. Membership is open to any business or organisation in Shetland with an involvement or interest in the transition to net zero. The local forum aims to lead Shetland's energy sector to become a world leader during the transition, while maximising the social, economic and community benefits for Shetland.

Any organisation with an interest in joining the forum should contact info@shetlandnetzero.com for a membership form.

As the most northerly partner of the University of the Highlands and Islands, UHI Shetland provide a single point of contact for tertiary education, commercial training and research in Shetland.

They offer inspirational learning, influential training, and innovative research in the heart of Shetland’s community.

UHI Shetland boasts a wide multidisciplinary research capacity, inspired by Shetland’s land, sea and culture.

UHI Shetland is the home of the UHI Centre for Sustainable Seafood, which provides independent, robust science & innovation; policy & management advice; education and skills needed to address global challenges and keep the seafood sector at the cutting edge of sustainable food production. Key aims of the Centre include:

• Supporting innovation and enterprise which underpins sustainable development
• Communicating clearly with the public, learners and industry to set out the facts of sustainability and seafood
• Identifying gaps in educational provision at all levels and creating content relevant to seafood sustainability
• Facilitating research to support the seafood sector to meet net zero targets and make the case for seafood as a climate smart and sustainable food source

UHI Shetland collaborates with local partners and the UHI’s Knowledge Exchange Team to support Shetland’s transition to net zero and offers a range of education and research opportunities that support sustainable and environmentally conscious industries.

With a tremendous range of courses and learning opportunities on your doorstep you can discover where learning means more at UHI Shetland. Their courses are all designed to ensure that you can take your next steps, whether that is directly to employment or on to further study.

For information on their research capacity, available courses and other training please visit: Home - UHI Shetland

Great information on its way!

The Green Jobs Workforce Academy helps you take a green approach to your career, your skills and job search. Packed full of information, it can help you adapt to a job that’s becoming greener. Find out more here: Green Jobs Workforce Academy

For more information visit their website: Skills Development Scotland