Orkney energy audit

Published 30/03/2023

Background

In the last decade Orkney has firmly established itself as a centre for innovation and development in the renewable energy sector.

By 2014 Orkney was generating 104% of its annual electrical demand, a feat unmatched by any region in the UK. However local grid infrastructure could not keep up with this growth in generation and inadequate grid capacity threatened the financial viability of established community energy schemes and the potential to develop further generating capacity in the future. In response, OREF and Community Energy Scotland commissioned the Orkney-wide Energy Audit 2014, which was delivered by ReFLEX project partner, Aquatera.

The purpose of the 2014 Audit was twofold:

1. Provide a baseline of information relating to energy sources and uses within Orkney to fully understand the pattern of fuel use within the islands and to help identify fuel uses that could be replaced with energy produced from renewable resources.
2. Present options that could help alleviate some of the problems and maximise the socio-economic and environmental benefits for Orkney.

2019 update

The audit carried out in 2019 updated the 2014 audit to understand how the energy situation in Orkney had changed over five years and determine what was required to meet, and ideally exceed, the targets set out in the ReFLEX Orkney project, and ultimately, decarbonise Orkney’s energy system. The audit provided a baseline for ReFLEX Orkney as well as to inform and support other energy related activities in Orkney and further afield. The audit provides details on Orkney’s carbon emissions and includes a separate section on socio-economics. Thank you to all organisations and businesses that provided data for this Audit.

Read the 2019 audit: ReFLEX Orkney Energy Audit | 2019

Sankey diagram showing Orkney's energy use by sector and end use (GWh)

Sankey diagram showing Orkney's carbon emissions use by sector and end use (tonnes of CO₂)

Points to note:

• The scope of the 2019 Audit includes the energy generated and consumed within Orkney. It aims to include details on all forms of energy such as electricity, oil, coal etc.
• It is intended as a snapshot of the current energy situation (as at 2019) so where possible the most recent data was used. However not all data sets cover the same period of time. In some cases, data may be presented over a number of years to help with explaining trends for comparison.
• Where there was incomplete datasets and limiting factors, certain assumptions were made on the energy sources and uses and the resulting carbon emissions. Further details on these are provided in the full report.
• Energy used for transport to and from mainland Scotland is allocated entirely to Orkney’s energy use as travel is normally to and from Orkney, rather than via Orkney. In some cases, where services are a stop off on the way to Shetland, assumptions have been described clearly where applicable.