What are we doing?

Rural Energy Hubs Project

The Rural Energy Hubs Project aims to use the pilot hub to develop a model for establishing a wider network of rural energy hubs across Orkney and Shetland, and to demonstrate how decarbonisation can be developed, embedded and accelerated locally.

Shetland's Net Zero Route Map

In November 2022, the Council approved the Shetland Net Zero Route Map produced by Ricardo Energy & Environment. 

The Route Map provides two possible pathways for Shetland to mitigate its emissions. It details the measures most appropriate for reducing Shetland's emissions and models their impacts, graphically showing how they change over time.

Shetland Islands Council's Net Zero Route Map

The Shetland Islands Council Net Zero Route Map provides a framework and plan for the Council as an organisation to reach the Scottish Government's target of becoming net zero by 2045.

The Route Map details what measures are needed and when, and models the impacts of these measures on emissions on three possible pathways.

Assessment of Shetland Islands Council Land Carbon Sequestration

In response to the high emissions from land that the Net Zero Route Maps discovered, the Council commissioned an Assessment of SIC's Land Carbon Sequestration to understand the offsetting potential of its holdings and operating area.

As well as the final report a number supporting appendices are also available for download:

• Appendix A: Methodology
• Appendix B: Carbon Stock and Flux Coefficients
• Appendix C: Baseline Carbon Flux Summary Reports

Shetland Community Conversations on Climate Change

In early 2022, the Council and Ricardo held a number of online workshops to gain insight into the communities' main priorities and concerns around climate change, how to become a low carbon society and, how best communities could help and be helped to achieve this.

The Shetland Community Conversations on Climate Change Report summarises the key discussion points, observations and reflections from these conversations.

Climate Conversation 2021 Survey

In May 2021, we ran our first survey to better understand just what Shetlanders thought about climate change.

We also produced a Survey Results Infographic as well as our Climate Conversation 2021 Survey Findings report.

The Neptune Programme

The Neptune Project was a feasibility study that aimed to develop a desk-based decision modelling and support system digital tool to help analyse, scope and develop ORION marine opportunities.

The findings and reports are available at the ORION website.