Tag: environment

UK government announces further funding to help businesses clean up industrial processes and improve energy efficiency

  • £12.4 million government funding is helping some of the most polluting industries find new ways to reduce their carbon emissions and energy bills
  • funding has supported the deployment of a range of new technologies, from heat pumps to hydrogen ready equipment, to help businesses cut fossil fuel use and improve energy efficiency
  • investment is helping to future-proof vital British industries in the transition to a lower carbon economy

Businesses across the UK will benefit from a share of more than £12 million government funding to help energy-intensive industries cut their carbon emissions and energy costs.

The funding for the 22 winning projects will help businesses across England, Wales and Northern Ireland clean up their industrial processes and improve their energy efficiency – benefiting industries including pharmaceuticals, steel, paper, and food and drink.

This £12.4 million funding was awarded as part of the Industrial Energy Transformation Fund (IETF), which has awarded grants to British projects across the country to increase the energy efficiency of their industrial processes, from car manufacturing to steel production and food processing.

The winning bids include sustainably harvesting food in Carmarthenshire, Wales, through a new air source heat pump system, capturing waste heat to dry, heat, crush and grind materials for roadmaking in South Yorkshire and using revolutionary high temperature heat pumps to reduce the energy needed to heat and cool cheese, reducing emissions in dairy farms across the Midlands.

It is estimated that industry is currently responsible for producing 16% of the UK’s emissions and will need to cut emissions by two thirds by 2035 in order for the UK to achieve its net zero target.

Today’s funding will play a crucial role in helping to clean up big-emitting industries as part of the UK’s green industrial revolution – decarbonising their industrial processes and reducing their reliance on expensive fossil fuels, such as gas. This means businesses will not only reduce their environmental impact, but also save on their energy bills and safeguard thousands of British jobs.

Graham Stuart, Minister at the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero said: “Boosting the energy efficiency of industrial processes is a critical step not only in our transition to a lower-carbon economy, but also by helping businesses to cut their energy costs and protect valuable British jobs.

“That’s why the government has stepped in once again to support energy intensive industries, with a fresh funding round to unleash the next generation of green innovators who are re-shaping the way technology can reduce carbon emissions.”

So far, £34.8 million of funding has been awarded through the Industrial Energy Transformation Fund, which was first launched in June 2020.

Today’s winners

Greener food

One of the biggest food companies in Europe, Dunbia, based in Carmarthenshire, Wales, has been awarded funds to upgrade its heating system from a gas oil fired steam boiler to an air source heat pump that is powered by renewably sourced electricity.

This allows the company to harvest edible products and process the food with hot water washing, through a sustainable and energy efficient thermal supply system, reducing carbon emissions each year.

Sustainable roads

Harsco Environmental’s SteelPhalt plant, based in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, has been developing and manufacturing high performance tarmac products for the UK roadmaking industry since the 1960s. 

This energy intensive process of drying, heating, crushing, grinding, conveying currently utilises large volumes of natural gas, gas oil and electricity from the grid, but thanks to government funding, the company is investigating ways to capture the waste heat in the exhaust gases and transform it into electrical power, reducing the fuel demand of the road burners and supporting manufacturing in the local area.

Lighter, safer vehicles

Autotech Engineering / Gestamp is a multinational based in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, specialising in the design, development and manufacture of metals for lighter and safer vehicles.

Whereby high-tonnage presses of flat metal sheets typically loses lots of energy through heat and noise, IETF has helped to fund the SERPENT project which is actively capturing and reusing this lost energy. With a reduction of almost 10% already seen in peak power usage during tool changeover, this funding is helping to lower energy consumption and the environmental impact of critical car manufacturing.

Say cheese

The Long Clawson Dairy has been producing cheese for over a century, running over 31 farms in the Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire areas. The production of cheese is an energy intensive process involving both heating and cooling activities.

Through IETF funding, the company has created a new thermal storage system, using revolutionary high temperature heat pumps to reduce overall energy by 27% and saving 34% carbon emissions, with the ambition of moving to a purely electrically powered in the long term.

Today’s announcement builds on the wide-ranging support that is available to energy-intensive industries.

The UK government recognises that businesses are feeling the impact of high global energy prices, including steel producers, which is why the Energy Bill Relief Scheme was launched to bring down costs. This is in addition to more than £800 million of support the government has provided since 2013 to help industrial sectors with energy costs, with many businesses able to bid into government competitive funds worth more than £1.5 billion to support them going green, cutting emissions and becoming more energy efficient.

Niall Browne, CEO, Dunbia (UK), said: “Dunbia (UK), through its parent company Dawn Meats, was the first European beef and lamb processor to make a commitment to the Science Based Targets Initiative.

“We have been working for more than 10 years to reduce emissions internally and more widely across our supply chain and recognise the urgency to adopt even more aggressive measures to reduce emissions.

“We welcome this opportunity to work with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero to further improve our energy efficiency and cut our carbon emissions.”

A Harsco Metalscompany spokesperson said: “Harsco has welcomed the IETF grant offer from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero to continue its journey to help continue our commitment to innovation and sustainability.

“With this IETF feasibility funding grant, we have been able to investigate how we can recover heat from our asphalt plant to optimise our use of energy and reduce our carbon footprint.

Phil Potter, the SERPENT Project Manager, said: “The SERPENT feasibility study was a high-risk technology project not aligned with Gestamp’s core business activities and would not be completed without IETF support and funding.

“We have been successful in demonstrating feasibility and initial results look extremely promising with a reduction of almost 10% seen in peak power usage during tool changeover.

“We have yet to process that data and analyse the economic viability but we have already demonstrated that this approach improves manufacturing energy efficiency to reduce waste and carbon footprint and support our drive to Net Zero with no impact on press performance.

Iain Grant, Operations Director, Long Clawson Dairy, said: “The production of our Stilton cheese is an energy intensive process involving both heating and cooling activities.

“With the investment in this project, it has enabled the Dairy to take a more cost-effective approach to energy consumption, alongside a clear carbon emission reduction. This is a substantial investment for a business of our size and would not have been possible without the support of the IETF grant funding.”

New Scottish Flood Forecast informs public of flooding three days in advance

Communities across Scotland will be able to prepare and take action sooner to protect themselves from flooding as a new three-day Scottish Flood Forecast launches.

Developed by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) and the Met Office, the Scottish Flood Forecast provides the earliest indication possible of when and where flooding is expected over the next three days, and whether the source is from rivers, surface water or the sea.

In addition, the colour coded map on SEPA’s website describes the potential impacts on communities and links to advice and information on what protective action people can take if required. It also offers reassurance when significant flooding is not expected.

The Scottish Flood Forecast was developed following extensive research involving the public, community flood groups, emergency responders, partner organisations and both SEPA and Met Office employees. Feedback from more than 200 users was also gathered during a trial phase from May last year.

Gail Walker is from the Tillicoultry, Devonside and Coalsnaughton Flood Group (Tideco): “The Scottish Flood Forecast is an important information source for Tideco. Advance warning of flooding supports us to work out how we can best respond to weather events with the resources we have.

“Tillicoultry has a number of flooding issues and is a known flooding ‘hot spot’. This can include surface water and sewage flooding within residential streets, as well as flooding from the Tillicoultry Burn and the River Devon, which both have a history of having flooded out homes in the past. Whilst we have some flood defence measures in place, we still have areas that are vulnerable.

“The Scottish Flood Forecast is a useful trigger for the group to plan, prepare and to make sure volunteers are in areas where we know there is the potential for flooding. The key role of Tideco is to warn, inform and offer support to those at risk of flooding or who may have been impacted.”

The forecast is produced every morning, 365 days a year, and published on SEPA’s website. It is an additional tool for the public to use alongside the current Floodline service, which issues shorter notice Regional Flood Alerts and Local Flood Warnings to those signed up, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Environment Minister Mairi McAllan said: “Flooding can cause utter devastation to people and communities, as we saw again in several parts of the country in November and December last year.

“The impact of the climate emergency, across the world and here in Scotland, means that flooding will be more frequent. That is why it’s so important that we increase community resilience and take action to manage flood risk.

“The Scottish Flood Forecast will give people a three day look ahead to help make plans for travel and ensure safety and is a product of the excellent partnership working between SEPA and the Met Office.

“This new three-day forecast is a helpful addition to the other important services, such as Floodline, that the Scottish Flood Forecasting Service provides.”

Nicole Paterson, SEPA Chief Executive, added: “The Scottish Flood Forecast has been the biggest change to SEPA’s flood warning service in the last decade and is a major step forward in helping communities become more resilient to flooding.

“This winter we were reminded why that is so important, as parts of Scotland experienced damaging impacts from flooding – notably Aberdeenshire and Angus in November and Dumfries and Galloway in December.

“While the Scottish Flood Forecast currently displays information at a national level, work will continue on the forecast to gradually introduce localised information.”

Ian Cameron, Met Office Markets Director, said: “Every day the Met Office and SEPA teams work in close partnership to publish the Scottish Flood Forecast, providing guidance to the flood forecasting team at the Scottish Flood Forecasting Service (SFFS) with the latest weather information. 

“Working together in the SFFS Partnership enables the Met Office and SEPA to achieve more together and create a more resilient environment.”

The Scottish Flood Forecast can be viewed at www.sepa.org.uk/scottishfloodforecast.

It’s Tree Time!

FREE TREES AT INCH NURSERY

Come along to our Free Tree giveaway to collect a free tree at Inch Nursery on February 24th & 25th!

We are giving Edinburgh residents free trees as part of the Edinburgh Million Tree City Initiative.

Find out more: https://tree-time.com/free-trees/

UK economy risks collapse without urgent investment in nature

  • “There is no economy without nature” warns Dr Jeremy Leggett, ex Greenpeace Chief Scientific Advisor
  • Insurance companies, pension and investment funds are still financing fossil fuels – but urgently need to back nature recovery

The Green Finance Institute estimates that the UK is facing a finance gap of up to £97 billion to meet the UK’s nature-related targets by 2032. Without investment in climate mitigation, biodiversity restoration, flood prevention and other nature-related outcomes as outlined in public policy like the 25 Year Environment Plan, both our natural environment and economy face collapse.

Highlighting the urgent need for investment in nature, in the week that climate action group One Home reported that £600 million worth of homes are at risk of falling into the sea, Jeremy Leggett called on the UK’s financial sector to “step up or get washed away”.

Leggett, a former Chief Scientific Advisor to Greenpeace and founder of Solarcentury, one of the world’s most respected solar energy companies, is an experienced entrepreneur, who backed solar technology long before the government and financial institutions. Decades later, having proved his point with solar providing the cheapest energy available, he is now urging the financial sector to wake up to the facts and invest in the protection of nature.

“By continuing to invest in fossil fuels and related industries which destroy nature, institutional investors and many large funds are financing their own demise. There will be no business in a broken world. If big business does not invest in biodiversity and natural capital now, there will be no business.

He continued: “While the recent donation from Aviva of £38 million to the Wildlife Trust is a welcome development, donations are not a sustainable model for financing nature recover. Highlands Rewilding, and related projects, offer a new model for investment in nature-based solutions, with multiple revenue streams providing an economic and ecological return on investment.”

Having grown Solarcentury from a small South-London roofing company to a major international business deploying gigawatts of solar PV around the world, Leggett sold Solarcentury to Statkraft, which is owned by the Norwegian Ministry of Trade. But, rather than retire, Leggett invested his share of the proceeds – and raised more than £7 million – to start Highlands Rewilding, which currently owns two estates in Scotland.

“What we are doing here is opening up a pathway for businesses to finance nature recovery,” explains Leggett. “Humanity is at a tipping point which can go either way. Either we invest in the restoration of the natural environment, or we risk the complete collapse of civilization as we know it – including the economy.”

For the last few months Highlands Rewilding has been running a crowdfunding campaign, which has exceeded its initial target and raised over £700,000 from more than 400 individuals.

“Hundreds of citizens are helping to finance the vital nature recovery we so desperately need. But so far it is almost exclusively individuals who have stepped up to invest”, says Leggett.

“Government announcements, like the UK’s Ambitious roadmap for a cleaner, greener country, have pledged public money but the effort to halt biodiversity loss will need the backing of major investment funds, who are still sitting on the fence. The evidence is clear; Nature needs our help. But the major financial institutions are ignoring the warnings – and the opportunities.

“We saw it happen with renewables. Major finance was too slow to see the scale of the opportunity and too slow to come on board. Thankfully that situation changed but it took too long and we are living with the consequences. The situation is now even more urgent. Big business needs to back natural capital or the erosion of the economy will follow the same fate as the Norfolk coastline.”

Leggett is not alone in his assertions. Andy Howard, Global Head of Sustainable Investment points out that over half of global GDP, $44 trillion, is dependent on nature and its services, commenting: “The reality is stark: nature risk is fast becoming an integral factor to investment risk and returns”.

Dame Glenys Stacey, the chair of the government’s own Office for Environmental Protection commented that wildlife in particular was suffering “eye-watering” declines. “Species decline stands out – the rate of decline is inexorable,” she said. “This needs a lot of intervention, that is absolutely required.”

With the Treasury already stretched to its limits and further tax rises not compatible with the cost-of-living crisis it seems hard to imagine the government will be able to address the urgent funding gap at the required speed, or scale, to halt and reverse species decline. The only hope therefore is private sector finance and commercial capital.

In Scotland, Highlands Rewilding is performing a litmus test, entering the final quarter of its race to raise the required funds to scale nature recovery in Scotland. Their investment round is one of the first efforts after COP 15’s landmark biodiversity agreement, to break through the barrier of institutional finance.

Reducing emissions from waste

Keeping plastic out of incinerators will help meet climate targets

Stopping plastics from being incinerated is one of the key recommendations of an independent review of decarbonising the treatment of residual waste.

The report follows last year’s independent review of the role of incineration in Scotland, which recommended placing a cap on future capacity and led to Ministers putting restrictions on the development of further incinerators.

Report author Dr Colin Church has made several new recommendations to reduce the carbon impact of residual (or ‘black bag’) waste treatment infrastructure, including stopping plastic from being incinerated in Scotland.

In addition, he has recommended:

  • taking forward policies to reduce plastic production and use
  • promoting source segregation of all plastics, and implementing advanced sorting to remove plastics from black bag waste
  • using the heat from incinerators where possible, for example for homes and businesses

Dr Colin Church said: “Incineration remains a more climate-friendly method of managing residual waste than traditional landfill, and more practical than any other currently available approach.

However, without further action, this advantage will erode over a relatively short time. That is why my second report sets out a series of recommendations to improve the carbon impact of residual waste treatment, of which the most urgent and potentially most impactful is the cessation this decade of the incineration of plastic.”

Circular Economy Minister Lorna Slater said: “I would like to thank Dr Church for this report, which will make an important contribution to ensuring that the management of residual waste in Scotland aligns with our greenhouse gas emission reduction targets.

“Of course, the best way to reduce harmful emissions from our waste is to prevent it from occurring in the first place. That is why we have already banned many of the most problematic single-use plastic products and will soon be presenting a draft Circular Economy Bill to parliament. This will establish the legislative framework to support Scotland’s transition to a zero waste and circular economy.”

Environmental campaigners have welcomed the recommendation that incineration of plastics must end by 2030 in Scotland. The call came as part of an independent review commissioned by the Scottish Government into reducing the climate impact of the country’s incineration problem.

The review makes several recommendations including:

  • the burning of plastic should end by 2030
  • operators should try to include to deploy combined heat and power with incinerators
  • incinerators with potential for carbon capture should be prioritised and the Government should offer more support for carbon capture technology.     

No Scottish incinerators have functioning combined heat and power plants yet despite this being a requirement within 7 years of being granted a permit by SEPA. The end of plastic burning will significantly reduce the carbon produced from incinerators, thereby reducing the need for expensive and risky carbon capture. Campaigners say that other carbon-based waste, such as food, paper and wood waste, should be recycled.

Campaigners previously welcomed the move by the Scottish Government to implement a moratorium on planning permission for new incinerators, following the first report from Dr Colin Church, but say a clear exit strategy from incineration is still needed.

Friends of the Earth Scotland’s Circular Economy Campaigner Kim Pratt said: “Plastics are fossil fuels, so burning them cannot be part of a zero carbon future. That’s why the key recommendation of this review, to ban the burning of plastic by 2030, must be supported and immediately acted on by the Scottish Government.

“Instead of setting out a clear phase out plan, the review suggests incinerators can be made more sustainable by increasing the amount of heat they provide. We know that generating heat from incinerators emits even more climate changing emissions than gas boilers so following this path will ultimately compromise Scotland’s chance of creating a zero carbon, circular economy.

“Once fossil-based plastics are banned from incinerators, their emissions will plummet. Deploying risky and expensive techno-fixes like carbon capture when there are almost no emissions to capture is a waste of time and resources.

“As this review states, heat generation and carbon capture must not be used to justify new incinerators. But Scotland will have more incineration capacity than there is waste to burn by 2027, so Ministers must go further than the recommendations of this review and reduce capacity in line with our climate commitments.

“Incinerators are amongst the largest single sources of emissions so the Scottish Government must create a plan to phase out incineration, plant by plant, and as rapidly as possible if it hopes to meet its own climate targets.”

Dr Church’s report on Decarbonisation of Residual Waste Infrastructure in Scotland

Dr Church’s initial report, Stop, Sort, Burn, Bury, was published in May 2022

80% of butterflies in the UK decrease as climate change affects species

The State of the UK’s Butterflies 2022 report, released today by wildlife charity Butterfly Conservation, has revealed the alarming news that 80% of butterflies in the UK have declined since the 1970s.

Decreases in butterfly populations on this scale are a huge cause for concern as butterflies are an integral part of the UK ecosystem and their precipitous decline is a clear warning signal of the wider biodiversity crisis.

In Scotland, butterfly species that require specialist habitats have greatly declined. But the figures show increases too, as many countryside-wide species have increased in Scotland. While this increase bucks the trend elsewhere in the UK, it’s a clear indicator of climate change.

  • While habitat specialists in Scotland have declined in abundance by 27%,  wider countryside species have increased by 26%.
  • Half of all Britain’s remaining butterfly species are now listed as at risk of extinction on the British Red List.*
  • However, the report also provides evidence that targeted conservation action can turn around the fortunes of threatened butterfly species.

Scientists at Butterfly Conservation are today warning that time is running out for UK’s butterflies as long-term trends show that most butterfly species have declined in either abundance, distribution, or both in the past five decades. The news follows the release of the new Red List of British Butterflies last May, which showed half of all the remaining species in Britain are now classed as threatened or near threatened.

Habitat loss across the UK has led to dramatic declines in those species that require flower-rich grassland, heathland, and woodland clearings to thrive. These specialist species have, on average, decreased by more than a quarter (27% decrease) in abundance and lost over two-thirds (68% decrease) of their distribution since 1976.

Butterfly species that can breed in the farmed countryside and urban areas have fared less badly, but as a group they have still declined by 17% in abundance and 8% in distribution.

However, despite the gloomy picture painted by the long-term trends, the report points to numerous examples proving that targeted conservation action can turn around the fortunes of threatened butterflies at site, landscape, and national levels.

In Scotland this includes conservation action for priority species such as Northern Brown Argus and Pearl-bordered Fritillary. But, while managed sites such as Mabie Forest in Dumfries and Galloway are showing increases in numbers, colonies are disappearing elsewhere in the landscape. This shows that conservation efforts and partnership working towards better land management in Scotland are important to our natural environment now, more than ever.

Alongside this, climate change appears to be a large factor in the increased abundance of some species in Scotland. For example, White-letter Hairstreak and Holly Blue have spread north from England and become established in Scotland, while other species, such as Ringlet, Peacock and Comma, have greatly extended their ranges in the country.

Tom Prescott Butterfly Conservation’s Senior Conservation Officer for Scotland said: “Scotland is the only UK country for which the all-species butterfly indicators show long-term increases in abundance and distribution.

“However, this hides the true picture, which is that those species requiring specialist habitat are in significant decline while those that live in the wider countryside are increasing as a result of climate change allowing them to increase their range.

“Thanks to tens of thousands of people who contribute sightings through projects such as the UK Butterfly Monitoring Scheme and Big Butterfly Count, we have amazing data to plot the changing fortunes of our butterflies.

“We use this to inform our conservation work and the work we have been doing to increase numbers of Pearl-bordered Fritillary at Mabie Forest Reserve in partnership with Forestry and Land Scotland is evidence that where conservation action has been carefully targeted and sustained in the long-term it has had real impact.”

Julie Williams, CEO of Butterfly Conservation, said: “This report is yet more compelling evidence of nature’s decline in the UK. We are totally dependent on the natural world for food, water and clean air.

“The state of our species and habitats shows that the natural world is in trouble. We need swift and effective action on this. The decline in butterflies we have seen in our own lifetimes is shocking and we can no longer stand by and watch the UK’s biodiversity be destroyed.”

The State of the UK’s Butterflies 2022 has been produced by Butterfly Conservation working together with the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology and British Trust for Ornithology. The report is based on nearly 23 million butterfly records, almost all of which were contributed by volunteer citizen scientists, that assesses the UK’s 59 species of breeding butterflies.

The full report can be found HERE

*More information on the latest Red List assessment of butterflies can be found here https://butterfly-conservation.org/news-and-blog/half-of-british-butterfly-species-on-new-red-list

Progress at Edinburgh’s flagship net zero carbon housing project

A major milestone has been reached on a flagship, net zero carbon housing development in Edinburgh as the first homes are now under construction. 

Located on Waterfront Avenue in Granton, ‘Plot D1’ will comprise over 70 one, two, and three-bedroom apartments alongside several commercial units. The apartments will be rented as social housing owned and managed by The City of Edinburgh Council or to households on low to middle incomes at a ‘mid-market’ rate that is lower than private rental rates. 

The development will form a significant part of the ongoing £1.3bn regeneration of Granton’s waterfront and will set a roadmap for the future of net zero carbon housing delivery in Scotland. 

This is the first of three confirmed pilot projects being delivered by The Edinburgh Home Demonstrator (EHD) – a programme providing an innovative approach to building affordable net zero carbon homes at scale. 

The Scottish Government-backed programme has engaged a community of research and development experts to show how affordable net zero carbon homes can be created at scale across the six local authorities within the Edinburgh and Southeast City Deal Region.  

Glasgow-based contractor and manufacturer CCG (Scotland) is leading construction of the ’Plot D1’ site on behalf of The City of Edinburgh Council alongside a design team of architects, engineers, and energy consultants.

The firm is leveraging the Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) concept of offsite manufacturing on the pilot project. Standardised panels have been manufactured in CCG’s factory, transported to site, and positioned with the use of two cranes. This has resulted in a much quicker and efficient build, with one storey a week being completed on the Granton site.

This innovative combination of techniques will be evaluated by the EHD programme and will inform the development of a blueprint for procurement, quality standards, and cost that can be used across the sector to create affordable net zero communities.

The homes are designed to reach as close to net zero carbon as possible, with the aim of lowering energy demands, eliminating carbon emissions, and improving the living environment for residents. Renewable technologies such as a communal Air Source Heat Pump System and the use of solar PV panels will combine with the home’s enhanced building fabric to achieve the net zero standard of performance.

City of Edinburgh Council Leader, Cammy Day, said: “The future of housebuilding is happening here in Edinburgh, where we are proud to lead the biggest and most innovative net zero carbon development in the country.

“The pilot itself is helping to create and support jobs in green industries like offsite sustainable manufacturing. This is exciting to see and something our wider regeneration of Granton will build on.

“What we are doing with our partners at the Granton Waterfront is truly trailblazing and will see the community become a test bed for future innovation, skills development and much needed employment opportunities – all while pioneering 75 new net zero carbon affordable homes.”

Calum Murray, CCG (Scotland) Director and EHD Board Member, said: “CCG are pioneers for offsite manufacturing in Scotland. We operate from one of the UK’s most advanced facilities and use technological procedures to create homes in a controlled setting that are inherently designed to deliver an enhanced quality standard and minimise heat loss.

“For Granton D1, we will then integrate our entirely renewable energy system onsite. This uses several measures developed in partnership with Carbon Futures that combine with this improved standard of build to achieve our net zero target.

“The EHD programme is key to helping us to reach that target and this milestone at Granton D1 will be one of many along the way. It will be an exciting journey and one in which we are delighted to be playing our part alongside the Council and our trusted partners.”

Ainslie McLaughlin, Chair of the Edinburgh Home Demonstrator Programme Project Board, said: “The homes are quickly taking shape thanks to the offsite manufacture of key components.

“The productivity gains and speed of construction delivered by offsite MMC make it an important solution in the delivery of net zero carbon homes, especially to meet the demand for affordable housing. Scotland has both the capability and resources to scale this up, there is real opportunity here.”

The programme is delivered by multiple stakeholders including partners from The City of Edinburgh Council, Offsite Solutions Scotland, Edinburgh Napier University, the University of Edinburgh, Scottish Futures Trust, and Built Environment – Smarter Transformation (BE-ST) and is funded by the Scottish Government’s Affordable Housing Supply Programme and The City of Edinburgh Council.

For more information, visit: https://www.be-st.build/accelerate-to-zero/modern-methods-of-construction/edinburgh-home-demonstrator/

Historic former whaling building opens for first time

The original Main Store on the subantarctic island of South Georgia has opened to visitors for the very first time, after almost five years of sympathetic restoration and curation by the Government of South Georgia & the South Sandwich Islands (GSGSSI) and a UK charity, the South Georgia Heritage Trust (SGHT).

This small but significant British Overseas Territory, which lies in the Southern Ocean over 1,500km east of the Falkland Islands, was at the centre of the whaling industry but is now famed for its remarkable environmental recovery.

The Main Store is at the heart of the island’s principal settlement of Grytviken, an abandoned yet atmospheric former whaling station which ceased operations in the 1960s after decades of whaling.

Built in c.1920, the Main Store is one of the few remaining original structures to survive at the site, and the restoration of this important historic building now adds another layer to the rich cultural heritage that is being preserved on the island.

Between 1904 – 1965 over 175,000 whales were processed across South Georgia. For the whalers the hours were long, the work unpleasant and the weather harsh. But despite the island’s dark past, GSGSSI and SGHT are working to ensure that South Georgia’s human story is told.

Alongside the South Georgia Museum, which is owned by GSGSSI and managed by SGHT, the preservation and reopening of the Main Store mean that the 10-15,000 annual international visitors to South Georgia will get a rare insight into what life was like during the height of the whaling era in the mid-20th century.

There are lots of never-before-seen objects in the Main Store that visitors will be able see for the first time, including harpoon grenades, bone saws, blubber hooks and flensing knives, all essential tools used by whalers throughout the hunting and production process. There’s also thousands of rivets, nuts, bolts, pipes and steam pumps used to maintain and repair the factory, boilers, vessels and machinery.

Visitors can also see a mysterious small ceramic figure named ‘Nisse’, whose provenance and age is unknown. A firm favourite with the team on South Georgia and visitors alike, he’s the unofficial guardian of the Main Store, keeping a watchful eye when the team leaves over winter.

During the restoration every heritage item was retained, cleaned, and photographed and any modern items removed. The catalogue is available to view in the South Georgia Museum.

Jayne Pierce, SGHT Curator of the South Georgia Museum says: “The Main Store is one of the oldest and largest buildings to survive at Grytviken.

“Given South Georgia’s remote location it played an essential role in storing the many supplies needed to keep the whaling station and its fleet of vessels running, including feeding and supporting the many men that formed the whaling crews, which was a huge undertaking.

Laura Sinclair-Willis, CEO of GSGSSI explains: “The Main Store is central to South Georgia’s intriguing history, and thanks to the support of a team of experts, it is now an accessible time capsule capable of receiving visitors, as well as an important part of the work we are doing to explain the rich cultural history of the island.

“Following a Condition Survey and Structural Report of the Main Store that was published in 2018, our Heritage Build Team, SGHT’s Museum Curator and an Advisory Panel of heritage experts worked over the summer seasons between 2018 – 2023 to remediate the building’s structure.

“This included repainting the entire exterior, removing modern equipment and materials, installing electrical wiring and period lighting fixtures, and replacing windows, giving us the fully accessible building we have today.”

Iconic wildlife from humpback whales and southern elephant seals, to vast colonies of king penguins and an array of seabirds call South Georgia and the Southern Ocean home. South Georgia is celebrated for its remarkable environmental recovery following several Habitat Restoration projects run by both GSGSSI and SGHT.

GSGSSI removed reindeer that had been deliberately introduced to the island by the whalers as a source of fresh meat and sport, and SGHT ran a successful decade-long rodent eradication project to tackle invasive mice and rats, which came over in whaling vessels and decimated local seabird populations.

Now the island is a rare example of an ecosystem in recovery. South Georgia is also famous for its links with world-famous explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton who is buried at Grytviken.

The restoration of the island’s Main Store would not have been possible without the generous support of the many organisations and friends with a close affinity to South Georgia. These include Øyas Venner (The Norwegian Friends of South Georgia), t;he Hurtigruten Foundation, the Friends of South Georgia Island, the British Antarctic Survey and the Headley Trust.

To find out more about South Georgia, the work of its government and of SGHT, visit www.gov.gs and https://sght.org.

PICTURES: South Georgia Heritage Trust

Marine Biodiversity Fund project on Firth of Forth celebrates first year

More than 4,000 locals have been involved in the first full year of a major marine restoration project – part-funded by the ScottishPower Foundation – to bring back seagrass habitats and native oyster populations to the Firth of Forth.

The ‘Restoration Forth’ project is supported by up to £600,000 over three years from the Foundation’s Marine Biodiversity Fund, which was set up to help provide a lasting legacy from the UN’s COP26 climate change conference held in Glasgow in 2021.

Restoration Forth is managed by WWF, the leading independent conservation organisation, in partnership with local communities and organisations and seeks to restore seagrass which provides an important habitat for marine life and an incredible tool in the fight against climate change. 

Oyster reefs – which once flourished in the Forth – remove pollutants and provide sanctuary for a vast array of marine life.

The ScottishPower Foundation funding helped support a packed first year of activity, with the Restoration Forth team working with thousands of people to lay the foundations for the important restoration work.

As part of the process, 40,000 seagrass seeds have been prepped for planting, with the project team visiting Orkney and working with the local community there to collect the seeds for replanting in the Forth. Care was taken to ensure that the east coast variant was collected to avoid non-native species being planted in the Firth of Forth. The seeds are expected to be planted in March 2023.

Over a period of six months, the team also engaged more than 4,000 people of all ages from the communities surrounding the Firth of Forth. School pupils, university students, researchers, fishing communities and an array of local groups have learned about the plans and how they can get involved. More than 100 events from walks and talks to seed processing days and school assemblies have taken place.

An appointed team of citizen scientists have also been working in partnership with Seawilding on the west coast of Scotland to establish processes to source native oysters for Restoration Forth. Working in line with NatureScot and Marine Scotland’s guidelines, the team has been studying and scrubbing oysters to ensure the biosecurity of any oysters that will be relocated.

A large part of this year’s work has also focused on establishing the best locations within the Firth of Forth for the restoration to take place to ensure the best opportunities for community engagement and ecological conditions. The locations for planting need to be suitable for growth and accessible for members of the local community, so they can engage with the project and eventually take it forward in the long-term.

Melanie Hill, Executive Officer and Trustee of the ScottishPower Foundation, said: “It’s so exciting to see the progress across the year of our first-ever Marine Biodiversity Fund project.

“Restoration Forth is supported by the biggest-ever grant awarded by the ScottishPower Foundation, and is a shining example of how we can take action now to tackle the climate emergency.

“Thriving marine environments are vital if we’re to have any chance of addressing the biodiversity and climate crises we all face. Restoration Forth helps to do this and more, by engaging with the local community to educate them on the importance of these habitats to the wider ecosystem and our future.

“This collaborative approach can help provide the blueprint for further marine restoration projects across the country, with ScottishPower Foundation funding supporting future generations for years to come. I can’t wait to see what comes next.”

ScottishPower Foundation’s grant was the first funding contribution towards the £2.4 million total cost of the project, which aims to restore up to four hectares of seagrass and 10,000 oysters per year by the end of 2024.

Naomi Arnold, Restoration Forth Project Manager at WWF, said: ‘The level of interest and engagement in just the first year of Restoration Forth has been inspiring.

“The enthusiasm of our partners and funders but also, crucially, from members of the many communities that line the Forth showcases how a project like this can work for both the marine environment and the people who live by it.

“Restoring the seagrass meadows and oyster beds of the Forth brings a whole host of benefits, from improved water quality and increased biodiversity, to storing carbon and reduced coastal erosion.

“After a year of hard work and preparation, we are excited that this spring will see the start of seagrass planting and oyster deployment. A start that will help breathe new life back into the Forth.”

Partners delivering Restoration Forth alongside WWF include Edinburgh Shoreline Project, Fife Coast & Countryside Trust, Heriot Watt University, Marine Conservation Society, Project Seagrass, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, Scottish Seabird Centre, The Ecology Centre and The Heart of Newhaven Community.

The ScottishPower Foundation was established in 2013 to make a significant and lasting contribution to society, enhancing the lives of people living in communities throughout the UK. It provides funding to help support the advancement of education, environmental protection, arts and culture and citizenship. It also supports charities who aim to provide relief from poverty, disability, or other disadvantages.

Further information on Restoration Forth is available at:

 https://www.wwf.org.uk/scotland/restoration-forth.

Work begins on new ‘green corridor’

Work is set to get underway to transform public spaces along a route between Roseburn and the Union Canal, creating a ‘green corridor’ and cycleway and bringing disused areas back into community use.

Construction on the £12.5m Roseburn to Union Canal Active Travel Route and Greenspace Improvements project will begin on 30 January, when site preparation starts, and is expected to last until April 2024. The scheme is split into three sections – Sauchiebank Gardens, Duff Street Woodland and Dalry Community Park.

Funding for the project has been provided by Sustrans through its Places for Everyone programme, an active travel infrastructure fund backed by the Scottish Government, which helps deliver walking, wheeling and cycling improvements across the country.

Amongst improvements are two new bridges crossing over the Mid Calder railway line and Dalry Road leading to Dalry Community Park, community gardens at Sauchiebank and Duff Street and upgrades to the sports pitch and playpark at Dalry Community Park, designs for which were developed in consultation with Dalry Primary School pupils.

The project will also provide a key link in Edinburgh’s active travel network, delivering a 4m wide pedestrian and cycle path connecting the North Edinburgh Path Network to Fountainbridge alongside new pedestrian crossings and access points.

A comprehensive planting strategy will allow the active management of currently underused and largely inaccessible woodland, helping to create healthier and more diverse woodland with longer-term opportunities to enhance its ecological value. This will involve planting almost 5000 woodland and semi-mature trees. Approximately 450 trees will be felled in order to deliver the project, including trees which have been identified as ash and would be removed as part of long-term maintenance planning.

Councillor Scott Arthur, Transport and Environment Convener, said: “This project will transform the route between Roseburn and the Union Canal, where disused and inaccessible areas will become welcoming, green community spaces encouraging biodiversity and play.

“It will also plug a gap in the city’s active travel network by providing a high-quality pedestrian and cycle path between Fountainbridge and the extremely popular North Edinburgh Path Network, as well as leading to the City Centre West to East Link, which is currently under construction.

“We’ll do everything we can to minimise disruption over the coming year and we’ll continue to keep residents up to date as we progress the scheme.”

Roseburn to Union Canal’s final design builds on several years of engagement with the public and stakeholders and aligns with the City Mobility Plan in supporting people to walk, wheel, cycle and spend time in their local community, in turn contributing to the city’s net zero carbon goals.

Michael Melton, Grant Manager for Sustrans, said: “We’re delighted to see works now starting on the Roseburn to Union Canal project in Edinburgh. After several years of design and engagement with the local community, this transformative project will not only provide a vital connection for walking, wheeling, and cycling in the heart of the city, but will also serve as an accessible greenspace for everyone to enjoy.“

“The project site will be fenced off from 6 February, and Dalry Community Park will also be closed from 6 February for the duration of construction.

Between 20 February and 23 March the two-lane section of the West Approach Road, between Westfield Road and Dalry, will close so that safe construction work can begin. A diversion will be in place to help minimise disruption.

The section between the Dundee Street ramps and Lothian Road will remain open. Further information on changes to bus services can be found on Lothian Buses’ website.

Find out more about the Roseburn to Union Canal Active Travel Route and Greenspace Improvements project.