Whisky bi products could be next biofuel

"Scotland’s whisky has a world-wide reputation for excellence and generates huge benefits for our economy. It’s fitting, then, that the by-products of this industry are now being used in an area where we have so much promise sustainable biofuels," said Fergus Ewing the Scottish Energy Minister as he launches a new company to commercialise a process making biobutanol from whisky by-products.

The new company, called Celtic Renewables, has been set up to capitalise on Scotland's UK£4 billion (US$6.3 billion) malt whisky industry to develop biobutanol a next generation biofuel along with other renewable chemicals and animal feed. Read more ...

Renewables are a boost to UK economy

The latest research from DECC has shown that so far in this financial year, companies have announced plans for almost UK£2.5billion (US$3.886 billion) worth of investment in renewable energy projects in the UK, with the potential to create almost 12,000 jobs across the country. Scotland is to get two new wind farms that will power over 90,000 homes that have been approved by the Energy Minister Fergus Ewing. The UK Energy Secretary Chris Huhne said that this kind of investment shows the economic benefits of renewable energy, and he reaffirmed the coalitions commitment to meeting the EU renewable energy targets. Read more ...

Scottish and UK ministers meet for Biomass rethink

The Scottish minister for energy, enterprise and tourism Fergus Ewing met the UK governments minister for Energy and Climate Change Charles Hendry and hosted a meeting on bioenergy stakeholders. Earlier in the month the Scottish government proposed removing all subsidies for large scale biomass electricity plants. Energy Minister Fergus Ewing said: "I have grave concerns about the UK Government's ambition for biomass electricity. Large-scale woody biomass used for electricity generation is much less efficient than smaller scale neighbourhood plants". Read more ...