New Lanark, village on the River Clyde dating back to the 1786, a UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Scotland
Operations at Deerdykes have saved 96,695m3 of carbon and generated 38 GWh of green electricity – that’s the equivalent of powering over 10,000 average UK homes.
The plant uses modern anaerobic digestion technology to convert food waste into renewable energy. Food waste is broken down during a biological process in sealed, oxygen-depleted tanks to produce an energy-rich biogas. This biogas is then converted into electricity as well as a natural fertiliser for use in agricultural land spreading.
This biogas fuels two combined heat and power (CHP) engines, with a total output of 1.5 megawatt (MW) of electricity. The electricity powers the on-site offices and the plant itself, with any excess being fed into the national grid.
“Celebrating the 10th anniversary of our recycling facility during Scottish Climate Week couldn’t be more appropriate. Our plant at Deerdykes has achieved a lot in a decade, contributing greatly to Scotland’s renewables and its target of becoming a net-zero society.
Diverting food waste from landfill and transforming it into valuable new products also helps boost our customers’ environmental credentials as they strive to become more sustainable and reduce their environmental impact. We will continue to build on the plant’s success and work closely with our partners to maximise opportunities and efficiencies.”
Colin Lindsay, Operations Manager at Scottish Water Horizons
Around one million tonnes of food is thrown away in Scotland each year. A number of local authorities across west central Scotland currently transport waste to Deerdykes. It comes from Glasgow City Council, Inverclyde Council, East Dunbartonshire Council and West Dunbartonshire Council areas, along with waste from many food producers and businesses.
“We must cut down what we waste and send to landfill if we are to reduce our impact on the planet. Deerdykes has proven to be a valuable facility by protecting us from the worst impact of food waste and transforming its potential into the energy that powers our homes.”
Iain Gulland, chief executive of Zero Waste Scotland
Earlier this Scottish Climate Week, we published a trailblazing Net Zero Emission Routemap which sets out how we will achieve net zero emissions by 2040 and beyond, and make a greater contribution to Scotland’s overall emissions ambition.
“Food waste reduction is critical in the fight against climate change and we have set an ambitious target, to reduce overall food waste by 33% in Scotland by 2025. In reducing our impact on the planet, this is an area where all citizens and organisations can make a difference.
It is fitting that the 10th anniversary of the Deerdykes Food Waste Recycling Plant falls within Climate Week. By diverting 155,000 tonnes of waste from landfill and transforming it into renewable sources of energy, it has helped us reduce food waste and protect the environment.
The plant will of course form part of Scottish Water’s wider plans to reach net zero emissions by 2040. The contribution of these low carbon technologies and nature based solutions are invaluable if we are going to build a green economy to enable Scotland to meet its national net zero target by 2045.”
Roseanna Cunningham -Secretary for the Environment
GLASGOW, SCOTLAND - SEPTEMBER 02: The Routemap to Net Zero launch at Erskine Waste Water Treatment Works on September 02, 2020, in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Craig Williamson / SNS Group)
It is the first Scottish Water renewable generation project to include provision of charging points for electric vehicles. As part of its Net Zero Emissions Routemap, launched this week, this will become a feature of future projects as Scottish Water aims to operate a fully emissions-free fleet of vehicles by 2040.
“Harnessing solar energy is just one of the many ways we are helping to tackle climate change and contributing to Scottish Water’s ambitious target to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2040.
The site at Inverness provides a perfect opportunity to install a scheme of this scale, which will have a significant positive impact both on the environmental and financial cost of providing clear, fresh and great-tasting drinking water to around 86,000 customers in the Highland Capital and beyond.
In the years ahead, we will be seeking to develop further, larger renewable energy projects so that self-generated green power can meet all of Scottish Water’s electricity needs. In Scottish Water Horizons we intend to deliver 90 Gigawatt hours (GWh) per annum of new renewable generation by 2030 to help Scottish Water on its journey to meeting its net zero carbon goal.”
Project Manager Ian Piggott
The inclusion of electric vehicle charging points is designed to help accelerate the wider roll out of charging infrastructure across Scottish Water sites.
“It’s a great step forward that we can now generate a significant proportion of the electricity we need within the site, using renewable resources. We are really proud that our water treatment works at Loch Ashie is playing its part in helping Scottish Water achieve its net zero carbon ambitions.
Looking to the future, the inclusion of electric vehicle charging facilities will support faster progress with moving our 1600-vehicle fleet of vans and tankers all over Scotland away from fossil fuels towards clean electricity.”
Angus Mackinnon – Scottish Water’s local Water Operations Team Leader
Scottish Water Horizons has already delivered over 45 solar power projects, as well as 20 wind projects, two biomass projects and a heat from waste water project. Scottish Water also hosts significant additional renewable generation capacity on land that it owns across Scotland.
This scheme is helping us achieve net zero emissions by 2040.
We aim to produce or host three times the amount of renewable energy to the electricity we use by 2030.
We’re contributing more widely to Scotland’s carbon emissions targets.
Green hydro energy plays a vital role in tackling the climate change emergency.
Energy Team
Patrick Stakim, a project manager for Scottish Water’s energy team, said: “This technology at Lower Glendevon Reservoir is a great example of how Scottish Water is working hard to protect the environment by working with other agencies to generate green power. “Treating water is an energy intensive process and with Scottish Water’s carbon footprint dominated by electricity at around 69%, natural resources are being put to good use here to help off-set the amount of electricity we use.”
Support From Scottish Renewables
Cara Dalziel, Policy Manager at Scottish Renewables, said: “Hydro provides around a fifth of Scotland’s renewable electricity and is key not just to meeting our stretching climate targets and tackling the climate emergency, but also to supporting the financial viability of rural businesses and to developing the smart, local energy systems we need for the future.
“It is fantastic to see Scottish Water utilising this renewable energy technology as part of its commitment to reducing carbon emissions.”
Energy Usage
We are one of the biggest users of electricity in the country.
We consume about 440 Gigawatt hours (GWh) per year of grid electricity.
We have 37 operational turbines located on 25 different sites to help off-set our energy usage.
With an installed capacity of 7.2 Megawatts (MW), these have a design generation of 40.19 GWh per annum.
Panoramic view with famous Scottish lake Loch Shiel with Glenfinnan monument and island on sunset, Scotland.
It includes commitments to running the nation’s water and waste water systems, which are energy-intensive, on green power and operating a fully emissions-free fleet of vans and tankers and cutting mileage by 50%.
Over the next 20 years, Scottish Water will prevent over three million tonnes of emissions – the equivalent of half a million car journeys around the world – entering the environment.
The public water and waste water organisation, which is one of Scotland’s biggest users of electricity, aims not only to reach net zero – but to go beyond that by reducing or eliminating all emissions associated with its activity, not just those it produces directly. This includes reducing the carbon emissions from its multi-billion pound infrastructure improvement programme.
While we must adapt our services to deal with climate change, we must also eliminate the greenhouse gas emissions that are contributing to the climate emergency.
It outlines how Scottish Water will tackle emissions across five key areas – electricity, processes, gas, transport and travel and investment – and states that the organisation will:
· Operate all of its assets, including 239 water treatment works and 1827 waste water treatment works across Scotland, using renewable power
· Transition its entire fleet of vehicles, currently 1600-strong and one of the most high-profile in the country, to zero emissions vehicles and reduce mileage of 17 million miles per annum by 50%
· Reduce the carbon intensity of its £700m a year investment by 75%, with a similar reduction in its supply chain, by adopting zero emissions design and using low carbon construction materials
The routemap, published at the start of Climate Week, sets out how Scottish Water will deliver on its commitment to reach net zero emissions by 2040, five years ahead of the national target. It has been created with the support of an expert panel.
The changing climate will increasingly threaten our ability to deliver services that are essential to everyday life for households and businesses across Scotland. We must deal with the climate challenges, secure the future reliability of our services, and eliminate the greenhouse gas emissions that are contributing to the climate emergency. Our commitment to reach net zero emissions by 2040 is our contribution to the national and global effort to addressing the climate emergency.
The net zero emissions routemap published today sets out details of the enormous challenge we face and the transformation which must happen in order to reach our commitment.
This will not be easy. We have a substantial emissions footprint due to the large amounts of electricity and chemicals we use. This routemap is about doing everything possible to minimise the emissions associated with our activities, irrespective of where they are generated, and maximise the positive contribution we can make. We will work with all parties involved in our investment programme to secure radical carbon reductions in our construction activities.
Over the next 20 years, dealing with the challenge of climate change, achieving net zero emissions, and replacing our ageing assets will require significantly increased annual investment. We know customers don’t want us to put off necessary investment to protect the environment and maintain the high levels of service they currently receive. We will need their continued support so that we can build a sustainable future together.
Douglas Millican, Scottish Water Chief Executive
The Covid-19 pandemic has been an unprecedented global crisis which has fundamentally changed almost every aspect of our lives. But the climate emergency has not gone away – far from it – and we remain wholly committed to ending Scotland’s contribution to climate change.
We all need to work together with truly national endeavour to achieve this, and I commend Scottish Water’s leadership in setting out its Net Zero routemap, in doing so demonstrating how the transformation that will be needed right across our public sector in order to deliver net zero can be achieved.
I particularly welcome the focus on near-term actions, the contribution to development of key low carbon technologies and the delivery of renewables and nature-based solutions.
Scotland has the toughest target of any country in the world for emission reduction by 2030. At 75%, this incredibly stretching target goes far beyond what the IPCC Special Report says is needed globally to prevent warming of more than 1.5 degrees, but achieving it will require rapid, sustained and planned progress of the kind Scottish Water is demonstrating.
Roseanna Cunningham, Climate Change Secretary
The scale of the environmental challenge facing humanity is enormous and with a real urgency to act. Scottish Water’s commitment to delivering Scotland’s daily water entirely on renewable energy is a clear demonstration of the way that challenge is being faced head on.
By outlining how it will fulfil its ambition to go beyond what the law requires in reducing its use of our planet’s ecological resources and services, Scottish Water’s Net Zero Emissions Routemap has the potential to be an example of a drive towards One Planet Prosperity in action. SEPA will continue to support Scottish Water to find and take opportunities to comply with regulatory requirements – and to go beyond compliance in ways that enhance the environment, minimise resource use and maximise long-term social and economic benefits.
Terry A’Hearn, Chief Executive of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency
Scottish Water already manages one of the key climate risks – climate change will transform Scotland’s water supplies and needs in the decades ahead. So I’m delighted to see Scottish Water extend their climate focus and accept their unique role in cutting Scotland’s greenhouse gas emissions.
The assets at Scottish Water’s disposal and the renewable energy opportunities on Scottish Water’s estate are vital contributors to the national goal of Net Zero by 2045. Their drive to cut carbon throughout their extensive supply chain will have a cascading impact throughout the Scottish economy. I hope other public bodies in Scotland will now match Scottish Water’s ambition – and their willingness to disclose their climate impact overall.
Chris Stark, Chief Executive of the Committee on Climate Change, and a member of an Expert Panel
The route map highlights that some emissions cannot be eliminated completely and the organisation will counter balance and mitigate unavoidable greenhouse gases by increasing its approach to biodiversity through projects like peatland restoration which can store carbon.
