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"Working towards a sustainable energy future"

News in brief Orkney the energy islands OREF background  OREF structure  Aims and objectives  OREF Mission Statement  Photo of the month

OREF background

The Orkney Renewable Energy Forum (OREF) was formally established towards the end of 2000, and became a Company limited by guarantee in 2005 (Click here to view Memorandum and Articles of Association).  Its principal aims are to promote and develop sustainable local energy resources and promote local skills and expertise.  Members of the Forum include representatives of the local authority, renewable energy generators, energy experts, civil engineers, Island Development Trusts, environmental consultants, educational and research establishments, electrical engineering and construction companies, amongst others. In addition to the local members (40 full and 27 supporters), links are maintained with a growing number of companies and consultants active in the renewables sector.

Renewables Investment Fund

OIC announced a Renewables Investment Fund for Orkney (September 2007) Details For more information please contact the OIC Director of Finance.

 

Orkney the energy islands

With world-beating wind, wave and tidal resources, world-class test facilities, local enterprise, academic expertise and international experience in the energy business, Orkney has everything it needs to lead the field in renewables developments and rightfully ear the title of the 'Energy Islands'- click to find out more.

But it is not just in the handling and production of energy that Orkney excels it is also about ideas, collaboration and overall finding solutions, particularly energy solutions - click to find out more.

 

OREF Structure

The OREF Board has 10 Directors with specialist advisors from the local Council, Enterprise Company and Scottish Natural Heritage. There are three sub groups that report back to the Board which focus their attention on community issues, the environment and research and development.

Aims and objectives

  • To encourage the preferential use of renewable energy in Orkney;
  • To debate the best technical and sustainable options for increasing renewable energy and energy efficiency in Orkney;
  • Facilitate Research and Development in renewable energy and energy efficiency;
  • Disseminate information on renewable energy and energy efficiency;
  • To lobby on the strategic issues affecting the development of a renewable energy sector in Orkney; and
  • To act as a consultative body on issues related to connecting Orkney to renewable energy markets.

Mission Statement

 
‘Promote all forms of renewable energy, and energy efficiency, and encourage such activities to be of benefit to the Orkney community’ and sustainability lies at the heart of this. The combined goal of reducing energy consumption and increasing the proportion of Orkney’s energy supply that comes from renewable sources makes a contribution to global efforts to mitigate global warming, but additionally offers local economic and social benefits:
 
  • Energy saving reduces costs to households and to businesses, increasing sustainability of the local economy and community;
  • The potential for building local expertise on renewable energy, becoming a test-bed for new technologies, thus creating limited local employment, with the possibility of exporting expertise; and
  • As a centre of production for renewable energy, exporting to other areas, thus generating local employment maintaining and servicing production equipment, as well as providing farmers in Orkney with another avenue for diversification.

 Photo of the month

Thanks to Colin Risbridger for sending in this picture of Alan Thomson in the new digester just after it had been built in Westray.
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