Short background of Scottish Water

Scottish water is a Scottish government not for profit organisation whose main objective is providing water and wastewater services to household customers and wholesale Licensed Providers in Scotland. Scottish water strives to find ways to be increasingly sustainable in the delivery of services to its customers. This includes supporting Scotland's ambitions for renewable energy generation and carbon reduction, environmental performance and safeguarding water resource for future generations. Scottish water has 1827 wastewater treatment works and 239 water treatment works. 

 

Scottish Water has set a target by committing to net zero emissions by 2040, a full five years earlier than the set target by the Scottish government. The company is determined to undergo a full transformation over the next 25 years to achieve net zero emissions. Scottish water has also, through collaboration with a panel of experts and our stakeholders, has developed a trailblazing route map, which sets out how they will lead the water industry to net zero emissions by 2040 and beyond, and make a greater contribution to Scotland’s overall emissions reduction ambition.

 

The key focus for their route map in reducing overall emissions

includes but not limited to;

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            Becoming more efficient.

            Using Low carbon construction.

            Using lower-carbon energy products.

            Storing emissions that cannot be avoided.

            investing in renewable power technologies.

 

Climate change is the biggest issue of our generation, and there has been a huge change in public attitude towards its future impact on the environment in which we live. Scottish water is committed to getting to net zero, and beyond, by eliminating all emissions associated with our activities - whilst delivering excellent service and great value to our customers. 

 

Currently Scottish water consumes 576GWh per annum from the grid. A further 53GWh is generated and consumed on their sites. They also host a significant number of renewable assets on their sites that export 831GWh to the grid thus supporting the cause of reducing overall emissions for the national grid.  The top five contributors to Scottish waters electricity consumption are wastewater aeration (20%), wastewater pumping (29%), water treatment (21%), water pumping (14%) and wastewater sludge treatment (14%).

 

Scottish water has a number of renewable energy assets at their assets. Their portfolio of these assets is made up of 34 hydro turbines (at 26sites), 65 wind turbines (at 17 sites), 39 photovoltaic solar schemes, 1 solar thermal plant, 3 CHP plants and 3 Biomass boilers.  The approach of Scottish water is to reduce energy consumption on site and maximize use of generated electricity on site.