Scottish Water welcomes the opportunity to deliver net zero emissions ahead of national targets, as set out today in the Scottish Government’s Programme for Government.

The plan sets out national priorities for the coming year and places a focus on how the country will respond to the climate emergency, highlighting the important role Scottish Water will play in leading on renewable technologies and energy efficiency.  Scottish Water’s track record over more than a decade has already delivered significant reductions in carbon emissions from our activities, increased energy efficiency and developed renewable technologies.

Now the organisation will seek to transform its activities to reach net zero emissions five years ahead of national 2045 targets – and go beyond.  Scottish Water will develop a route map for progress working with both the water sector and wider public sector.  Activities will include increasing the amount of renewable energy generated and hosted to 300 per cent more than the energy consumed, leading on biogas generation and recovering energy from waste water to convert into heat.  We will accelerate our strategy to minimise emissions through reducing demand and leakage, investing in energy efficiency and renewable power, and transforming our treatment works and processes to lower emission technologies.

At the same time, we will invest in the management of our catchments to restore peat, increase woodland and turn our landholdings into a ‘carbon sink’, removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Scottish Water welcomes the opportunity to deliver net zero emissions ahead of national targets, as set out today in the Scottish Government’s Programme for Government.

The plan sets out national priorities for the coming year and places a focus on how the country will respond to the climate emergency, highlighting the important role Scottish Water will play in leading on renewable technologies and energy efficiency.

Scottish Water’s track record over more than a decade has already delivered significant reductions in carbon emissions from our activities, increased energy efficiency and developed renewable technologies.

Now the organisation will seek to transform its activities to reach net zero emissions five years ahead of national 2045 targets – and go beyond.

Scottish Water will develop a route map for progress working with both the water sector and wider public sector.

Activities will include increasing the amount of renewable energy generated and hosted to 300 per cent more than the energy consumed, leading on biogas generation and recovering energy from waste water to convert into heat. We will accelerate our strategy to minimise emissions through reducing demand and leakage, investing in energy efficiency and renewable power, and transforming our treatment works and processes to lower emission technologies. At the same time, we will invest in the management of our catchments to restore peat, increase woodland and turn our landholdings into a ‘carbon sink’, removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Click here to read more