10th March 2015
Engaging the Local Community on Orkney’s Electric Future
Seeking the views of local residents, Urban Foresight recently visited Orkney to undertake a workshop exploring the opportunities to exploit the islands’ oversupply of renewable energy.
The workshop was undertaken for Orkney’s Electric Future, an innovative project that integrates the uptake of EVs and more sustainable transport options with opportunities offered by a high generation of renewable energy whilst offering wider benefits related to tourism.
In collaboration with environmental consultancy Aquatera Ltd and Robert Gordon University, the workshop, held at the Pickaquoy Centre was essential to engage the local community, allowing their contributions and insights to inform the outcomes of the project. This was followed by a roundtable discussion with key stakeholders including local business owners, Islands councillors and VisitOrkney.
Urban Foresight will report later in the year on the feasibility of a large-scale demonstration project and outline a possible implementation plan for the establishment and management of an Orcadian Living Laboratory for Integrated Energy, offering insight into future energy systems.