Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced £16.7mn of additional funding for low-carbon transport in the country on the 3 September. The declaration comes ahead of Sturgeon’s Programme for Government, which last year set out an aim of removing the need for new petrol or diesel cars or vans in Scotland by 2032 to reduce greenhouse gases. The First Minister said the new funding will go towards increasing the number of green buses, improving access to electric charging points and ensuring that people see electric vehicles as “an attractive, cost-effective alternative” to petrol and diesel vehicles.
Earlier in August, funds were also awarded to low-carbon hub projects such as the multi-storey electric vehicle (EV) charging hubs in Dundee and the Stromness multi modal low-carbon active travel hub. Both projects look to install a series of EV charging points but incorporate renewable energy to power associated infrastructure. The funding was awarded to nine successful bidders across Scotland as part of the second round of the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) Low Carbon Travel and Transport Challenge Fund, to enable a more low-carbon approach to the transportation sector in Scotland.
At the same time as making progress in decarbonising transport, a data release from the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe) has identified Scotland as both the top producer and consumer of renewable power in the UK. In 2017, SNP figures showed that 70% of Scotland’s power came from renewables in 2017, a 15% rise in one year and a threefold increase since 2007. The SPICe statistics also showed that in 2016 more than half (54%) of Scotland’s electricity was provided by renewables, more than twice as much as the average for England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
With growth in all renewable sectors in Scotland looking set to continue, the country is to stand itself in great stead in achieving its low-carbon future.