Event: 31 May 2023: Transition Edinburgh / Our Future Edinburgh
Transitioning Edinburgh to Low Carbon Heat Workshop
Facilitated by:
Our Future Edinburgh* – Johanna Carrie: Home - Our Future Edinburgh
Transition Edinburgh* – David Somervell: Transition Edinburgh – Pathways to building a fairer, carbon neutral future
Ben Carter – Vattenfall Edinburgh
John Maslen – Independent renewable energy consultant
Edinburgh Climate Change Institute: Edinburgh Climate Change Institute (ECCI) - Edinburgh Earth Initiative
Objective: To bring together key stakeholders from the public, private and community sectors across the Edinburgh city region to discuss how to make the shift to low carbon heating, a key element for any Net Zero plan.
The main focus was on District Heating networks. Here is a visual indication of the ambition:
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(See https://ramboll.com/energy/district-energy and also
https://netzeroedinburgh.org/turner-townsend-appointed-by-city-of-edinburgh-council-to-drive-decarbonisation-of-buildings-across-the-capital/ )
The Practicalities:
- The technical knowledge is there, with the conceptual ambition. The engineering, science and organisational commitment continue to evolve here in the UK. (It is well established in continental Europe. The Greater Copenhagen District Heating (DH) network is the exemplar. It transmits through 54km of pipelines, supplying 250,000 households with district heating. That shows what could be done, but it has been a 25-year plus endeavour. English - CTR )
- The funding sources, the funding terms, the public-private share of risk, the protocols on how to lead and proceed (delivery partners), and the legislative frameworks are far from settled.
- However, the Scottish Government sees a significant future role for DH and here in Edinburgh there is a live programme and it is picking up pace. (There is a lot of catch-up to do compared to the likes of Aberdeen and Leeds.)
- In broad terms, the ‘bill’ to decarbonise buildings in Scotland is put at £33bn (just for that part of the ‘great transition’). The comprehensive ‘need for innovative funding’ doesn’t begin to describe the challenge. (There are deep fundamental issues: ‘Who are the ‘owners’ of the disparate programmes or ‘bits and pieces’?’: ‘Returns are insufficient to attract private investment.’)
- Edinburgh’s Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategy (LHEES), mandated by the Scottish Government, is due to emerge from CEC late in 2023. It will have a 5-year delivery plan and it needs to be a pathbreaker. Look for ‘consultation’ over the summer on new proposals, new prohibitions and on new alternatives.
- The city’s Net Zero 2030 programme, while widely heralded, needs ‘political leadership, organisational capacity, collaboration, tenacity and transparency’.
- ‘Someone’ has to ‘own the problem’. ‘Someone’ is going to have to take the ‘message’ to communities; to ‘scope and deliver public engagement at the local level.’ (Watch for the risks of misinformation.)
- Who is that to be? CEC officials? Elected Councillors? Community Councils? The private sector? With what support and guidance? What is the message? Who will be held to account?
- Sarah Boyack MSP was in attendance. She spoke with some energy at the end, saying she was going to get on the case at the Scottish Parliament. Let’s watch that space.
Participants and Reference Points:
UK Energy Research Centre - Jan Webb: UKERC | The UK Energy Research Centre
Scottish Futures Trust – Paul Moseley: Home - Scottish Futures Trust
Scot Gov Heat in Buildings Programme - Drew Murphy: Heat in Buildings programme - Energy efficiency - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)
City of Edinburgh Council Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategy (LHEES) – Kyle Drummond: Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategy (LHEES) – The City of Edinburgh Council
Sarah Boyack MSP
Aberdeen Heat & Power Co. Ltd – Michael King: Home-v2 - Aberdeen Heat & Power (aberdeenheatandpower.co.uk)
Midlothian Energy Ltd – Owen McGuire: Midlothian - Vattenfall Heat UK
Midlothian Council joint venture to invest £100m in low-carbon energy projects - Midlothian View
Leeds PIPES – Steve Hunt: Home - Leeds PIPES Heating Network (leeds-pipes.co.uk)
The University of Edinburgh Utilities Supply Company: The University of Edinburgh | CHP Energy Installation (vitalenergi.co.uk)
Ener-Vate Consultants – Steve Hunt: District Heating | Ener-Vate
Loco₂gen: Locogen Homepage
More information:
Moving cities to net zero:
Scot Gov First National Assessment on potential Heat Network Zones (Apr 2022):
Potential heat network zones: first national assessment - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)
Scot Gov Community and Renewable Energy Scheme (CARES), managed by Local Energy Scotland: https://localenergy.scot/
See also Energy Saving Trust: https://energysavingtrust.org.uk/programme/community-and-renewable-energy-scheme/
*Transition Edinburgh and Our Future Edinburgh are in the process of forming a local Climate Action Hub (Community work for a fairer (poverty, inequality) and greener Edinburgh).
There are close links to:
Edinburgh Voluntary Organisations Council
EVOC Home - Providing support for Edinburgh's voluntary sector
EVOC Community Climate Forum – Charlie Wright
Community Climate Forum - EVOC
Scottish Communities Climate Action Network (SCCAN – Sarah McArthur) and Transition Scotland Hub:
End/KR, BR