Smaller power stations closer to city will slash emissions and close door on nuclear

Edinburgh could become a world-leader in the fight against climate change according to a new report released today. The study shows that by 'decentralising' its energy generation, the city could slash carbon emissions and increase energy security without resorting to the nuclear option.

Commissioned by the City of Edinburgh Council, WWF Scotland and Greenpeace, the report has been hailed as a blueprint for how cities can beat global warming.

Decentralised energy involves generating power close to where it's used. At the moment, Edinburgh is mainly powered by coal and gas stations situated many miles from the city that waste two-thirds of the energy they generate because heat escapes up their cooling towers whilst the electricity is lost as it's transmitted across large distances on the out-dated national grid.

The new report outlines how Edinburgh is ideally positioned to generate that electricity closer to the city, capturing the heat and using it to warm homes and offices. By decentralising its energy generation, the report says, Scotland can turn its back on nuclear and burn less fossil fuels, with huge benefits for the environment. (1) Reliance on imported gas is an increasing concern for European governments, but decentralised energy reduces those concerns in a stroke.

The study has been produced by energy experts PB Power. It lays out a vision for Edinburgh that builds on approaches already successfully adopted in Denmark, where decentralised energy provides over 50 per cent of electricity supplies, and the Netherlands where it supplies over 40 per cent. Copenhagen has an underground heat network through which hot water from local decentralised power stations runs into people's homes and offices, alongside electricity. Woking Council has already cut its own CO2 emissions by 77.4 per cent between 1991 and 2004 by decentralising its energy system. (2)

Dr Richard Dixon, Director of WWF Scotland, said, "Our current centralised system of electricity generation is highly inefficient. Two thirds of the energy generated is wasted before it even reaches the consumer and given our heavy reliance on fossil fuels for energy production this results in unnecessary climate emissions. This is simply unacceptable in the midst of an international climate crisis which threatens the livelihoods of millions and is putting tens of thousands of species at risk of extinction."

The current centralised UK system was developed in the 1930s and relies on a small number of huge power stations generating electricity miles away from the point of consumption, resulting in massive inefficiencies. A decentralised system uses proven technologies, such as the 'combined heat and power' model embraced by Denmark, which produces energy far more efficiently by capturing the heat usually lost in electricity generation. The report shows how this heat could be used to heat Edinburgh's buildings.

Councillor Ewan Aitken, Leader of the City of Edinburgh Council, said, "Scotland's capital city has a leading role to play in reducing our country's greenhouse gas emissions. Through switching to locally produced energy, Edinburgh can take its place in the vanguard of the fight against climate change."

The new report, Powering Edinburgh into the 21st Century, concludes that only decentralised energy can put Edinburgh on a pathway to meet the government's 2050 CO2 reduction targets. A nuclear route would fall well short of the 60% cut required and produce radioactive waste that remains deadly for tens of thousands of years.

Greenpeace's Chief Scientific Advisor, Dr Doug Parr, said, "This report shows that Scotland can reject the UK government's proposals to build new nuclear power stations and still win hands down on reducing emissions. Nuclear power remains dirty, dangerous and expensive. Scotland should not be conned into the nuclear option when decentralised energy is ready to go."

Download the report: Powering Edinburgh Into the 21st Century

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Notes to editors:

• On Wednesday 8th November, at Edinburgh City Council Chambers, there will be coffee and an opportunity for journalists to meet with Dr. Doug Parr, Cllr. Ewan Aitken and Dr. Richard Dixon at 8.30am, before they give a short presentation about the findings of the report. That will last about an hour.
• Professional photographs of decentralised energy in action are available from the Greenpeace picture desk on 020 7865 8118

Footnotes:
(1) The report shows that under a high DE scenario Edinburgh could reduce its CO2 emissions by 28.7% by 2025. Gas consumption would drop by 15%. (2) Woking Borough Council Climate change strategy 2005

Contacts:
John Schofield (Edinburgh City Council) on 0131 529 4484

Dr. Doug Parr (Greenpeace UK) on 07976212973 or Niall Bennett (Greenpeace UK) on 07717704577

Julie Stoneman, WWF Scotland on 01350 728200 or 07919 424589