The University of Stirling will help Scotland meet its carbon emission reduction targets through a government-funded innovative energy project.
The University will receive £2 million from the Scottish Government through the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) for the installation of a Combined Heat and Power plant to serve its main campus.
Karen Plouviez, Director of Estates and Campus Services at the University of Stirling said: "The University is delighted to have received this funding.
“This substantial investment will allow a major step change in the University campus energy consumption and carbon emissions and will make a significant contribution to the University achieving its 2020 emissions targets which are in line with the Government's own ambitions.”
The Universities of Stirling, Strathclyde, and St Andrews will receive a total of £20 million, as part of a programme of investment in carbon reduction developments, which could become demonstrator projects for other bodies.
The other projects are as follows:
- £10 million to St Andrews University for a wood-fuelled biomass project at Guardbridge in Fife.
- £8 million to Strathclyde University to construct a combined heat, power and district energy network, linking Strathclyde’s campus with major energy users in the area.
Education Secretary Michael Russell said: “Today’s announcement further underlines both the value of our universities in leading research and innovation and Scotland’s ambitions for low carbon energy.
“Investment for these three universities will not only contribute to reducing our carbon emissions, their work will offer other bodies the opportunity to learn from their work, develop their own projects and further enhance Scotland’s global reputation in this area."
Minister for Environment Paul Wheelhouse added: “Climate change is a serious issue both here in Scotland and further afield and all work to limit the impact of this global issue is to be welcomed.
“Scotland’s Higher Education sector is very well placed to make a significant contribution, both in research and in action, to carbon reduction, and the projects being funded today have the potential to make a real difference to reducing our carbon emissions."
Laurence Howells, Chief Executive of the Scottish Funding Council, also said: “These are exciting investments with huge potential, not least because they tap into the world-leading knowledge within our universities and allow them to show what the future could be for carbon reduction in Scotland. We see this as an important step forward but recognise there is still much more to be done. No one can be complacent about protecting our environment.”
Further Information
Full details of the projects are as follows:
- The University of Stirling will receive £2 million for the installation of a Combined Heat and Power plant to serve its main campus and the conversion of its existing district heating network to a low temperature system. The heat produced as a by-product of the Combined Heat and Power plant will be used in the district heating system, producing a projected annual reduction in carbon emissions of 2,882 tonnes.
- At St Andrews, SFC’s 10 million investment will be part of a £25 million renewable energy project at Guardbridge to generate combined heat and power through wood-fuelled biomass. The plant will produce hot water to be pumped four miles underground to heat and cool laboratories and residences in the university.
- Strathclyde University has received £8 million to construct a combined heat, power and district energy network which, as part of the multi-agency Sustainable Glasgow initiative across the city, will also benefit the wider community. The project is to create a network that will link together Strathclyde’s campus with major energy users in the area, including the existing SFC-funded district heating project at Glasgow Caledonian University and the City of Glasgow College’s energy infrastructure.