A Carbon Neutral Orkney
Orkney Islands Council is committed to reducing our carbon footprint and seeks to continue supporting the pioneering renewables scene in Orkney. One of our key reasons for developing these projects is to help and create a carbon neutral future for our islands.
Orkney produced 120% of its electricity needs in 2017/18, but there is still so much more we can do to decarbonise our local industries, heating, and transport.
In our Council Plan we have a target outcome for A vibrant carbon neutral economy which supports local businesses and stimulates investment in all our communities.
Although there is already a legal requirement in place for public bodies to reduce carbon emissions, our aim is to go well beyond our legislative duty. That’s why we joined organisations around the world in declaring a climate emergency in May 2019.
We also have national targets to contribute to – net-zero greenhouse gas emissions in Scotland by 2045 and in the UK by 2050 – and to meet these targets, emissions from homes, transport, farming and industry will all have to be addressed.
The transmission link is one major step towards addressing these challenges. Once the cable is installed and the three wind farms are operational, there is a clear indication that Orkney Community Wind Farms will provide a substantial benefit in terms of renewable electricity generation and carbon reduction.
What are the carbon savings?
We expect carbon savings of roughly 43,400 tonnes per year per site – this totals 130,000 tonnes of CO2 every year. This figure takes into account the carbon payback period (how long it will take the wind farms to offset the greenhouse gasses emitted as a result of its construction). To put that into context, in 2016 Orkney produced 150,000 tonnes of CO2.
