麻豆精选

An international research project also highlighted exploring energy storage solutions and the importance of helping householders understand the best energy efficiency measures and domestic renewable energy technologies. The project focused on putting local communities at the heart of achieving a low carbon future.

The Responsible Research and Innovation Policy Experimentations for Energy Transition project (RIPEET) examined the impacts and benefits of bringing together communities, businesses, academia, government and the environmental sector to explore and deliver sustainable energy solutions. In particular, RIPEET looked at local energy supply options, energy efficiency strategies, and household renewable generation options to help minimise household bills and address fuel poverty.

The three-year project was funded from the EU鈥檚 largest ever research and innovation programme, the 鈧�80bn Horizon 2020. As well as the Highlands and Islands, RIPEET worked with project partners from across Europe and communities in Extremadura in Spain, and Ostrobothnia in Finland.

The Scottish project was managed by Highlands and Islands Enterprise (麻豆精选) and Community Energy Scotland (CES), who approved a joint bid by UHI North, West and Hebrides and Comhairle nan Eilean Siar to undertake research on the Outer Hebrides local energy economy, as a case study for other Highland and Islands communities.

Sarah Marshall, senior project manager at 麻豆精选, said: 鈥淭he project explored what the ideal regional energy system would look like locally in 15-20 years鈥� time. With 40 per cent of households in fuel poverty in the Outer Hebrides, this emerged as a priority area of action. The vision is to reduce fuel poverty, improve collaboration and better utilise locally generated energy. The report explores the next steps to achieving that.

鈥淎 key to the success of the project was the inspiring partnership with CES, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, UHI North, West and Hebrides, and local organisations. The benefits of working together are clear to see. It鈥檚 heartening to see that next steps highlighted through RIPEET are likely to be picked up by other regional energy transition initiatives such as the Islands Centre for Net Zero and Fast Followers.鈥�

The project included 鈧�50,000 of funding for an 鈥榦pen call鈥� for a project to help achieve the energy vision. The results of the project have been summarised in two reports. Recommendations included:

• Establishment of an Energy Local Club to closely match energy supply and demand and where local communities work together to invest in clean energy
• Exploring an existing research group for piloting energy storage solutions
• Attracting further investment
• More support to be given to householders to help them to understand the most appropriate energy efficiency measures and domestic renewable energy technologies.
• Better understanding of grant availability and application processes.

Island households and installers were surveyed to get their views on the most realistic household strategies for a just and sustainable energy transition.

Dr Michael M Smith, programme leader for MSc in Sustainable Rural Development, a new Masters programme launching at UHI North, West and Hebrides in September, led on the research. He said: 鈥淗igh fuel costs, poor energy efficiency, climatic exposure and below average household incomes all conspire to create a fuel poverty crisis in the islands.聽

鈥淭hrough the EU Horizon funded project, we understand the ongoing challenges better and have been able to explore potential and innovative solutions to support a widespread community-based transition moving forward. I am also delighted that we鈥檝e had the opportunity to share our findings with other regions with similar challenges across Europe and at the same time hear about their solutions to very similar challenges.鈥�

Matthew Logan, Island Centre for Net Zero Outer Hebrides manager at CES, said: "We were really happy to see Comhairle nan Eilean Siar and UHI North, West and Hebrides collaborate on the Outer Hebrides Local Energy Economy Pilot Project as part of RIPEET. Both organisations had been involved in the 鈥楾ransition Lab鈥� stakeholder group throughout the RIPEET project and therefore had a good understanding of which issues had emerged as energy priorities for local organisations and representatives, primarily enabling locally generated energy to be supplied to householders in the Outer Hebrides.聽

鈥淚t was great to see the 鈥榗o-creation鈥� approach embraced by CnES and UHI NWH, this involved regularly discussing the pilot with聽local stakeholders, in particularly with community groups voicing householders issues, and taking on their feedback to shape the development and outcomes of the project. The work carried out through the pilot project produced useful insight into motivations and challenges householder face when looking to adopt domestic renewable and energy efficiency technologies, as well as reviewing a number of local energy supply models. This has set a good foundation for further research and trial projects which will help address fuel poverty in the Western Isles.聽

鈥淐ommunity generators across the Islands have long held the ambitions to supply energy locally and remain interested in exploring the outcomes from the pilot project and being involved in any trial opportunities that emerge.

鈥淲e are looking forward to continuing to work on these issues聽in collaboration with a full range of local partners聽with聽community voices at the centre of our efforts. Initiatives such as the Islands Centre for Net Zero provide an ideal opportunity to do so."

Councillor Donald Crichton, said: 鈥淲ith the ongoing uncertainty around energy tariffs and with the cost-of-living crisis continuing to affect our island population, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar welcomed the opportunity to collaborate on this project.

鈥淯ndertaking several connected work packages covering a range of technical options to promote the much-needed journey out of fuel poverty, the opportunity to develop a local energy economy, embracing our many renewable energy sources, is now very real. Future scopes including offshore wind, hydrogen and battery storage to address the intermittency of existing renewables, will all bolster the Comhairle鈥檚 vision for a locally run energy supply company.

鈥淭he RIPEET project has allowed us to review previous strategies and bring new legislations into our island context. Current negotiations with our electricity network distribution operators, along with several related procurement options are being actively progressed. Bolstered by a recently funded Innovate UK post dedicated to reducing fuel poverty through decarbonisation, the Comhairle is making headway into an energy solution for the benefit of all island residents currently using grid-connected electricity and domestic gas.鈥�

罢丑别听from RIPEET are being hosted on the CES website.聽

Innse Gall a鈥� nochdadh ann an rannsachadh air eadar-ghluasad cumhachd eadar-n脿iseanta

Tha Club Cumhachd Ionadail, far am bi coimhearsnachdan ionadail ag obair c貌mhla gus solar agus iarrtas cumhachd a mhaidseadh agus tasgadh ann an cumhachd ghlan, air a chomharrachadh mar aon fhuasgladh ann an cosgaisean cumhachd dachaigheil a l霉ghdachadh ann an Innse Gall, far a bheil 40 sa cheud den t-sluagh 聽ann am bochdainn connaidh.聽聽

Bha sgr霉dadh air fuasglaidhean st貌raidh cumhachd agus cuideachadh theaghlaichean leis na ceumannan 猫ifeachdais cumhachd as fhe脿rr a thuigsinn c貌mhla ri teicne貌lasan cumhachd ath-nuadhachail dachaigheil, cuideachd nan toraidhean ann am pr貌iseact rannsachaidh eadar-n脿iseanta a chuir coimhearsnachdan aig cridhe l矛bhrigidh air c脿rbon 矛osal san 脿m ri teachd. 聽

Rinn Deuchainnean Poileasaidh Rannsachaidh is 脵r-ghn脿thachaidh Cunntachail airson pr貌iseact Eadar-ghluasad Cumhachd (RIPEET) sgr霉dadh air builean is buadhan a bhith a鈥� tarraing choimhearsnachdan, gnothachasan, acadaimich, riaghaltas agus an roinn 脿rainneachdail c貌mhla gus fuasglaidhean cumhachd seasmhach a rannsachadh agus a l矛bhrigeadh. Gu h-脿raid, choimhead RIPEET ri roghainnean solair cumhachd ionadail, ro-innleachdan 猫ifeachdais cumhachd, agus roghainnean ginealaich ath-nuadhachail dachaigheil gus cuideachadh le cosgaisean dachaigheil a thoirt gu f矛or-lughad agus d猫iligeadh ri bochdainn connaidh.

Bha am pr貌iseact tr矛-bliadhna maoinichte bhon phr貌gram rannsachaidh is 霉r-ghn脿thachaidh as motha a-riamh bhon EU, an Horizon 2020 de 鈧�80bn. A thuilleadh air a鈥� Gh脿idhealtachd 鈥檚 na h-Eileanan, bha RIPEET ag obair le com-p脿irtichean pr貌iseict bho air feadh na Roinn E貌rpa agus coimhearsnachdan ann an Extremadura san Sp脿inn, agus Ostrobothnia san Fhionnlainn.

Bha am pr貌iseact Albannach air a sti霉ireadh le Iomairt na G脿idhealtachd 鈥檚 nan Eilean (麻豆精选) agus Cumhachd Coimhearsnachd Alba (CES), a dh鈥檃ontaich co-thairgse bho UHI Tuath, an Iar is Innse Gall agus Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, gus rannsachadh a ghabhail os l脿imh air eaconamaidh cumhachd ionadail Innse Gall, mar ch霉is sgr霉daidh do choimhearsnachdan eile na G脿idhealtachd 鈥檚 nan Eilean. 聽

Thuirt Sarah Marshall, 脿rd-mhanaidsear phr貌iseactan aig 麻豆精选: 鈥淩inn am pr貌iseact rannsachadh air c貌 ris a bhiodh siostam cumhachd roinneil barraichte coltach gu h-ionadail ann an 15-20 bliadhna. Le 40 sa cheud de dhachaighean ann am bochdainn connaidh ann an Innse Gall, th脿inig seo am b脿rr mar phr矛omh adhbhar gn矛omha. Is e an l猫irsinn bochdainn connaidh a l霉ghdachadh, co-obrachadh a leasachadh agus cumhachd air a ghinteadh gu h-矛onadail 霉isneachadh nas fhe脿rr. Tha an aithisg a鈥� rannsachadh na h-ath cheumannan a dh鈥檌onnsaigh sin a choileanadh. 聽

鈥淏鈥� e an com-p脿irteachas brosnachail eadar CES, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, UHI Tuath, an Iar is Innse Gall agus buidhnean ionadail, a bha aig cridhe an t-soirbheachaidh air a鈥� phr貌iseact. Tha na buannachdan an l霉ib a bhith ag obair c貌mhla soilleir gu le貌r am faicinn. Tha e misneachail fhaicinn gu bheil na h-ath cheumannan tro RIPEET coltach ri bhith air an taghadh le iomairtean eadar-ghluasad cumhachd roinneil eile, leithid Ionad nan Eilean do Neoini Lom agus Fast Followers.鈥�

Bha am pr貌iseact a鈥� gabhail a-steach 鈧�50,000 de mhaoineachadh airson 鈥榞airm fosgailte鈥� do phr貌iseact a chuidicheadh leis an l猫irsinn cumhachd a choileanadh. Tha toraidhean a鈥� phr貌iseict air an ge脿rr-iomradh ann an d脿 aithisg agus mholaidhean, a鈥� gabhail a-steach:

• Club Cumhachd Ionadail a st猫idheachadh gus solar is iarrtas cumhachd a mhaidseadh gu dl霉th, far a bheil coimhearsnachdan ionadail ag obair c貌mhla gus tasgadh ann an cumhachd ghlan
• Buidheann rannsachaidh a tha an l脿thair fhaotainn gus fuasglaidhean st貌raidh cumhachd a ph矛leatadh
• Barrachd tasgaidh a tharraing
• Barrachd taic fheumalachdan a thoirt do dhachaighean gus an cuideachadh leis na ceumannan 猫ifeachdais cumhachd as iomchaidhe a thuigsinn, c貌mhla ri teicne貌lasan cumhachd ath-nuadhachail dachaigheil
• - Faotainneachd thabhartasan agus pr貌iseasan tagraidh a thuigsinn nas fhe脿rr.

Chaidh suirbhidh a dh猫anamh air dachaighean is st脿laichearan sna h-eileanan airson am beachdan fhaighinn air na ro-innleachdan dachaigheil as fheumaile, airson eadar-ghluasad seasmhach is cothromach air cumhachd.

B鈥� e an Dr M矛cheal M Mac a鈥� Ghobhainn, sti霉iriche pr貌graim an MSc ann an Leasachadh D霉thchail Seasmhach, pr貌gram 霉r Maighstireachd ga fhoillseachadh aig UHI Tuath, an Iar is Innse Gall san t-Sultain, a sti霉ir an rannsachadh. Thuirt e: 鈥淭ha cosgaisean 脿rda connaidh, 猫ifeachdas cumhachd nach eil l脿idir, follaiseachadh ri gn脿th-sh矛de, agus teachd-a-steach dhachaighean 矛osal, uile a鈥� cuideachadh le c霉is-猫iginn bochdainn connaidh a chruthachadh sna h-eileanan. 聽

鈥淭ron phr貌iseact maoinichte le EU Horizon, tha sinn a鈥� tuigsinn nan d霉bhlan leantainneach nas fhe脿rr, agus comasach air fuasglaidhean 霉r-ghn脿thach a rannsachadh gus taic a chur ri eadar-ghluasad farsaing st猫idhichte air coimhearsnachd a鈥� dol air adhart. Tha mi air leth toilichte cuideachd gun d鈥� fhuair sinn an cothrom air ar toraidhean a roinn le sg矛rean eile aig a bheil na d霉bhlain ceudna air feadh na Roinn E貌rpa, agus aig an aon 脿m cluinntinn mu na fuasglaidhean aca mu choinneamh nan d霉bhlan sin.鈥�

Thuirt Matthew Logan, manaidsear Ionad nan Eilean airson Net Zero Hebrides aig CES: "Bha sinn air leth toilichte a bhith a鈥� faicinn Comhairle nan Eilean Siar agus UHI Tuath, an Iar agus Innse Gall a鈥� co-obrachadh air Pr貌iseact P矛leit Eaconamaidh Cumhachd Ionadail Innse Gall mar ph脿irt de RIPEET. Bha an d脿 bhuidheann air a bhith an s脿s anns a鈥� bhuidheann luchd-霉idhe "Transition Lab" tro phr貌iseact RIPEET agus mar sin bha tuigse mhath aca do na c霉isean sin a th脿inig am b脿rr mar phr矛omhachasan cumhachd do bhuidhnean agus riochdairean ionadail, sa chiad 脿ite a鈥� comasachadh do chumhachd air a th脿rmachadh gu h-ionadail, a bhith air a sholarachadh do dhachaighean ann an Innse Gall.聽

鈥淏ha e f矛or mhath a bhith a鈥� faicinn CnES agus UHI NWH a鈥� gabhail ri modh-obrach 鈥榗o-chruthachadh鈥�, a bha a鈥� ciallachadh deasbad cunbhalach air a鈥� phr貌iseact le luchd-霉idhe ionadail agus gabhail ris an ais-fhiosrachadh aca gus leasachadh agus builean a鈥� phr貌iseict a dhealbhadh. Thug an obair a chaidh a choileanadh tron phr貌iseact p矛leit in-shealladh feumail gu buil air na brosnachaidhean is d霉bhlain leis a bheil cinn-teaghlaich a鈥� d猫iligeadh, nuair a tha iad a鈥� coimhead ri gabhail ri teicne貌lasan e矛feachdach cumhachd dachaigheil agus ath-nuadhachail, a thuilleadh air ath-sgr霉dadh air 脿ireamh de mhodailean solair cumhachd ionadail. Tha seo air bun-st猫idh math a shuidheachadh airson tuilleadh rannsachaidh agus pr貌iseactan deuchainn a chuidicheas le d猫iligeadh ri bochdainn connaidh sna h-Eileanan an Iar.聽

鈥淭ha na h-脿rd-amasan air a bhith aig gineadairean coimhearsnachd air feadh nan Eilean o chionn fhada gus cumhachd a sholarachadh gu h-ionadail agus tha 霉idh fhathast aca ann a bhtih a鈥� rannsachadh builean a鈥� phr貌iseict p矛leat agus a bhith an s脿s ann an cothroman deuchainn sam bith a thig am b脿rr.

鈥淭ha sinn a鈥� coimhead air adhart ri leantainn ag obair air na c霉isean sin ann an co-obrachadh le l脿n raon de chom-p脿irtichean ionadail tro iomairtean leithid Ionad nan Eilean airson Neoini Lom."

Thuirt an Comhairliche D貌mhnall Crichton: 鈥淟eis a鈥� mh矛-chinnt leantainneach mu thimcheall ch矛sean cumhachd agus le c霉is-猫iginn bith-be貌 a鈥� cumail air adhart a鈥� toirt buaidh air ar n-脿ireamh-sluaigh sna h-eileanan, chuir Comhairle nan Eilean Siar f脿ilte air a鈥� chothrom a thaobh co-obrachadh air a鈥� phr貌iseact seo. 聽

Le bhith a鈥� gabhail grunn phasgain obrach co-cheangailte os l脿imh, a鈥� c貌mhdach raon de 聽roghainnean teicnigeach gus an t-slighe riatanach a-mach 脿 bochdainn connaidh adhartachadh, tha an cothrom air eaconamaidh cumhachd ionadail a leasachadh, a鈥� gabhail ri ar m貌ran t霉san cumhachd ath-nuadhachail, a-nis gl猫 fh矛or. Cuiridh leudachdan san 脿m ri teachd a鈥� gabhail a-steach gaoth far-t矛re, st貌radh haidreadsan is bataraidh, gus d猫iligeadh ri cugallachd nan stuthan ath-nuadhachail a th鈥� againn, taic ri l猫irsinn na Comhairle airson companaidh solair cumhachd air a ruith gu h-ionadail.

Tha pr貌iseact RIPEET air ceadachadh dhuinn ath-sgr霉dadh a dh猫anamh air seann ro- innleachdan agus reachdasan 霉ra a tharraing a-steach don cho-theacsa eileanach againn. Tha c貌mhraidhean l脿ithreach le ar gn矛omharaichean sgaoilidh air an l矛onra dealain, c貌mhla ri 脿ireamh de roghainnean solair co-cheangailte, gu gn矛omhach gan cur air adhart. Le taic bho dhreuchd air a maoineachadh o chionn ghoirid le Innovate UK a bha a dh鈥檃on ghnothaich airson bochdainn connaidh a l霉ghdachadh tro dhi-ch脿rbonachadh, tha a鈥� Chomhairle a鈥� d猫anamh adhartas le fuasgladh cumhachd gu buannachd luchd-c貌mhnaidh nan eilean uile a tha gu l脿ithreach a鈥� cleachdadh dealan is gas dhachaighean ceangailte ris a鈥� chliath.鈥�

Tha na h-aithisgean bho RIPEET gan cumail air l脿rach-l矛n CES. 聽