ABERDEEN City Council is to build on its successful drive towards net-zero by developing plans for four new projects, including developing a solar energy farm, enhancing hydrogen fuel distribution, and expanding the hydrogen-fuelled public sector fleet.
The council, which has been leading the way in the transition to renewable energy, has been awarded a share of up to £1m development funding through the Scottish Government’s Green Growth Accelerator (GGA).
The GGA is an outcome-based funding model, designed to help Scottish local authorities get low carbon infrastructure programmes off the ground. It will help councils bring in extra resources and technical support to accelerate pioneering net-zero projects, with funding awarded to reflect outcomes including emissions reduction, unlocking net-zero and green jobs growth.
The total delivery costs of Aberdeen City Council’s proposed projects is estimated at £8m and following the funding award, work can now proceed on developing the business case for the projects and their future funding investment.
Today’s announcement provides further endorsement of the Hydrogen Aberdeen infrastructure investment programme which works across housing, heating, and transport, providing a significant contribution to UK Government and Scottish Government climate change targets.
Aberdeen City Council described the award as further recognition of Aberdeen as the UK’s leading hydrogen city. The city has put hydrogen at the heart of its energy transition by investing in innovative technologies such as the hydrogen bus programme and development of the hydrogen production and distribution hub. Aberdeen City Council continues to demonstrate how hydrogen can create jobs and power the local economy, with proven experience and expertise in the city that attracts investment from government and industry.
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Aberdeen City Council Leader, Councillor Jenny Laing, said: “Today’s announcement is another step in ensuring Aberdeen is at the forefront of Scotland’s energy transition. Hydrogen is already here in the city and we continue to pioneer and deliver innovative, low-carbon infrastructure investments which support the city region’s economic growth and decarbonization targets now, and in the future.
“A commitment to combatting climate change was the central theme of the 2020 Net Zero Vision and Strategic Infrastructure Plan for Energy Transition, which identified the opportunity to pilot new investment models, and then we backed this up in our budget this year with funding towards delivery of the hydrogen programme.”
Convenor of the Council’s City Growth and Resources Committee, Councillor Ryan Houghton said: “To have secured further development funding for the solar farm on the site of the former Ness landfill, and the retrofitting of our HGV fleet is a clear endorsement of Aberdeen’s leading role in energy transition and highlights our credentials as a location for inward investment in new and emerging energy opportunities.“
