Ambitious large-scale

Government policy, high energy prices and the remote location of many properties mean Scotland is leading the way in the use of renewables. Contractors are benefi ting too

Oil may have been the story of Scottish energy over the past 50 years, but renewable energy could well be the story of the next half-century. Renewables are already the single largest contributor to electricity generation in Scotland, accounting for just under 54 per cent of the total. Between 23 and 26 December 2016, Scotland’s wind turbines alone generated more electricity than was used in Scotland on those days. Th e European Marine Energy Centre in Orkney is also a world-leading centre for testing wave power energy generation.

Of course, most Connections readers will not be working on large off shore wind-farm installations or experimental wave energy projects. But in recent years more electrical and heating service companies in Scotland have increased their involvement in renewables.

Th ere are some good reasons for this. Th e Scottish government wants renewable energy to generate the equivalent of 100 per cent of gross annual electricity consumption and 11 per cent of heat consumption by 2020; and it wants low or zero-carbon energy sources to account for at least half of Scotland’s energy consumption by 2030.

Some contractors in Scotland have contributed to larger-scale wind projects. Lotus Electrical Services, based at Kirkgunzeon in Dumfries, has worked with German energy technology specialist Isoblock to install mid-voltage connections between turbines and local substations for a number of wind-farm projects throughout the UK.

Other contractors have completed smaller-scale installations. Onshore wind projects completed by Absolute Solar and Wind, a contractor based in the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park, include single turbines at a site on the Isle of Mull, at AG Barr’s bottling plant in Cumbernauld, and for Glenskinno Biofuels in Montrose.

Breaking new ground

SOLAR FLAIR

Many electrical contractors in Scotland are also working with solar technologies. Absolute Solar and Wind, for instance, built the largest privately owned solar farm in Scotland for ice cream manufacturer Mackie’s of Scotland, near Westertown, Aberdeenshire. Th e site has a total installed capacity of 1.8MW, which now complements four wind turbines on the site capable of generating another 3MW of energy.

Adoption of solar thermal panels is also increasing. Th ey are one of several heating technologies eligible for payments via the Renewable Heat Incentive scheme, along with ground source and air source heat pumps, biomass-driven boilers, and biomass pellet stoves with integrated boilers.

All should be of interest to home owners, selfbuilders, private landlords and social housing providers, particularly in areas where many buildings are off the gas grid. In the Highlands, for example, 72 per cent of domestic properties are off -grid, as are 64 per cent of homes in Argyll and Bute, and 50 per cent in the Borders.

Glasgow-based DMS Installations was founded fi ve years ago, now employs 30 employees and off ers renewables services alongside other energy effi ciency and heating services. Th e company began by installing biomass systems and air source heat pumps, but now also installs ground source heat pumps, solar PV and solar thermal systems.

“Work with renewables is growing rapidly, particularly for newbuilds and also with so much of Scotland being off -grid for gas,” says general manager Carl Spurrier. “Initially our work was from domestic customers, but now we’re getting enquiries from industrial companies. Renewables are hugely important to us now.”

PUMPING IT UP

Air source heat pumps are currently the main growth area for DMS. Th e company specialises in installation of Daikin heat pumps, sometimes as a replacement for older gas boilers. It also installs Mitsubishi, Panasonic and Samsung heat pumps, and hybrid Daikin heat pump/gas boiler systems.

Alex Murray Construction, based in Stornoway, in the Western Isles, is also installing Mitsubishi air source heat pumps for clients, alongside biomass boilers, solar thermal heating and solar PV panels. Project development manager Steven Murray believes air source heat pumps will become the dominant heating technology in the Western Isles in future.

“I think over the next 15 to 20 years you’ll see [oil and LPG heating] systems being phased out,” he says. “With the cost of energy rising, air source heat pumps are just that much cheaper.”

For some years now, NICEIC has supported contractors getting involved with installation of renewable energy technologies. Its microgeneration certifi cation scheme is complemented by a number of training courses for contractors interested in working with these technologies. Spurrier is among those who believe a good understanding of renewables could be hugely benefi cial for contractors in future. “As building control gets stricter, you’ll eventually see gas getting phased out,” he predicts. “Th is is defi nitely the market to be in.”

‘Work with renewables is growing rapidly, particularly for newbuilds and also with so much of Scotland being off-grid for gas’

72%: THE AMOUNT OF DOMESTIC PROPERTIES IN THE HIGHLANDS THAT ARE OFF-GRID

Case study: Absolute Solar and Wind

-

Absolute Solar and Wind was founded a decade ago and focused at fi rst on installation of solar PV in domestic properties. Clients now include social housing providers in Edinburgh and Aberdeen, for which the company has installed solar PV solutions, but also a range of domestic and commercial clients.

“We saw the opportunity coming in Scotland,” says managing director Graham Provest. “Lots of businesses wanted solutions, and the market was stabilising; the conversation was less about feed-in tariff s and more about what you could do to off set energy costs for the client.”

The company tries to understand a client’s energy needs, then creates a strategy using the mix of products it off ers. Clients include Scottish Water, for which Absolute has built a 1.2MW solar array to provide energy for 34 underground pumps bringing water out of boreholes in the Spey Valley; and Gartocharn Primary School, where the company installed a biomass system at the school in 2015 and is now installing a solar PV system.

In future, Provest believes emerging battery storage technologies may become important to the business. “We’re building commercial models involving battery storage at the moment,” he says. “That allows you to extend the usefulness of any of the products we do.”