Shetland Islands Council is seeking input on the development of energy and transport hubs, to help shape future connectivity of energy and transport across the isles

The council will host public consultation sessions in Brae, Scalloway and Yell to provide the opportunity for interested parties to hear about the energy and transport hubs in more depth, and to provide comments.

A rural energy and transport hub is a facility powered by renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar, that provides services for the community. The services provided would add to existing facilities within local areas and could include: EV charging, a community car club, e-bike rental, secure cycle storage, EV transition support service, district heating, community waste management facilities and office work space.

Advice available on grants, loans, purchase and installation will be available with the chance also to see renewable or energy efficient technologies in operation.

The online survey is open to all Shetland residents and the deadline for responses is Wednesday 31st May 2023.

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Drop-in public consultation sessions will be held in Brae, Scalloway and Yell, as below and anyone interested in attending can sign up on the eventbrite link:

• Brae Hall – Tuesday 23rd May 2023, 2pm-7pm (eventbrite link)

• Scalloway Hall – Wednesday 24th May, 2pm-7pm (eventbrite link)

• Mid Yell Hall – Thursday 25th May, 2pm-7pm (eventbrite link)

This survey and public consultation is part of the Council-led project being undertaken in collaboration with Aquatera and Community Energy Scotland. The initial feasibility study will run from 1st April to 30th June 2023.

The study will make use of earlier and ongoing work by the Council to identify potential ways to reduce emissions, and benefit the community, through an integrated energy and transport hub. It seeks to address the following 'non-technical' barriers that have been identified so far: Regulation; Grid capacity; Resource (skills and capacity); Behavioural change; Lack of data

Moraig Lyall, Chair of the Council's Environment and Transport Committee said: "Locally focussed projects like the Shetland Rural Energy and Transport Hub will have a range of benefits for the Shetland community, as well as helping reach Shetland's net zero targets. I would encourage Shetland residents to respond to the Energy and Transport Hub Survey and attend the public sessions so the Council gets a better understanding of what services people would like to see in any future hubs, and how they would like to use them.

"Good ideas can come from anyone and this is an opportunity for people to contribute – we'd really like to hear a wide range of views."

In February 2023, Shetland Islands Council was awarded funding from Innovate UK, the UK's national innovation agency, as part of the Phase One of the Net Zero Living Programme towards an energy and transport feasibility study in Shetland.