What are the options for energy in Orkney going forward from the pandemic Covid19 restrictions?
This topic will be explored at the next monthly OREF (Orkney Renewable Energy Forum) meeting on the 2nd of June at 7:30pm.
What are the challenges and opportunities ?
Gareth Davies, joint Chair of OREF and Managing Director of leading local environmental consultants Aquatera, will provide an overview of some of the key events that have happened, the consequences they have had and the responses that are now potentially open to Orkney, as an island community.
Gareth said:
“It would have been very hard,in 2010, to conceive the tumultuous options, changes and challenges that Orkney was going to face over the next 10 years, and yet we are here! So, a key question is where next and how do we best get there?
“The pace and scale of change that we are in at present is, of course, unprecedented, but Orkney, as a resourceful and resilient community has been here before and will no doubt be here again.
“It is important therefore to think about what options we have, what options we can influence and maybe create and also what options we may even want to avoid or shut down. Since almost all of what we do in society is linked to energy and, despite everything, energy is still inextricably linked to climate change it seems appropriate for OREF to consider these issues at this time”.
The online format of the meeting will involve real-time chat, questions and opinion gathering to help add further interest and excitement to the session.
The key influences that have affected the energy of Orkney include:
- feed-in-tariffs
- austerity
- grid connection moratorium
- misaligned energy strategy
- independence referendum
- our islands our future
- hydrogen
- fuel poverty
- EU referendum
- BREXIT
- grid needs case
- expansion in wind generation
- tidal energy success
- whole energy system management
- climate emergency
- COVID
Gareth believes that what have we learned over the last decade about decision making, vision and leadership can help us better influence the outcomes arising from the COVID crisis so that they support a progressive reaction to the Climate Emergency rather than working against it?
This OREF meeting will therefore look at the various pressures, issues, opportunities and constraints at play arising from COVID and focus upon those that are specifically linked to energy and climate change.
To register for the meeting, contact Frances Flett on office@oref.co.uk
Rendall Doocot with wind turbine in the background Credit Bell
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