DR ALAN RUTHERFORD OBE
Sustainable development is important for the long term operation and success of business today. It means that we must examine the way we use resources, the effect we have on the environment and our role in society; it is becoming increasingly clear that businesses cannot regard themselves as in some way separate from the societies in which they operate.
United Distillers chose Islay for the development of some of our longer - term thinking, to look at our use of energy resources and ways of supporting the local communities in which we operate. Islay is a very special place to us: we operate two malt whisky distilleries and a maltings and have links with the local community extending over many years. We also have a clear business interest in the long-term economic well-being of the island community.
It has long been recognised that the economy of Islay is fragile and currently in danger of further decline unless steps can be taken to arrest this decline in a sustainable way.
A preliminary economic survey undertaken by United Distillers in 1994 recommended that a first move should be a comprehensive study into energy use and resources. Islay depends upon imported energy - in the form of electricity, coal or fuel oil - for most of its energy needs. If means could be found of reducing this dependence, there could be significant benefits to the local economy.
The study was carried out in 1995 by ETSU, the Government’s executive agency for energy technologies. It was funded jointly by United Distillers, the Department of Trade and Industry and Argyll & the Islands Enterprise, with technical support provided by, amongst others, Hydro-Electric, Scottish Natural Heritage and the other Islay Distillers.
The main conclusion in the ETSU study was that there was significant potential for alternative, renewable energy generation and that the whole community should aim to increase its energy efficiency.
ISLAY ENERGY PROJECT
Arising from these findings, the Islay Energy Project was launched with the support of numerous agencies and private industries, including all the Islay and Jura distilleries. It was seen as a step in wider moved to regenerate the local economy. Its aim is to integrate related projects on the island and has three key objectives:
Demand side management: To ensure that existing resources - oil, electricity, coal and peat - are used in the best possible way.
Renewable energy: To explore other sources of energy, such as wind or wave power.
Environmental balance: To maintain the right balance between economic between economic development and the protection of a precious natural environment and strong local culture.
Steps have already been taken in the area of demand side management. The Islay distillers have been working to see how their product start-up times can be spread to avoid times of peak domestic electricity demand. A home insulation programme has been carried out by Hydro-Electric and Argyll & Bute Council.
The technology for wind generation is already well established. A site on Islay has been identified by a private developer but there have been environmental objections to the granting of planning consent on the grounds that the proposed windcluster would constitute a danger to geese. It is hoped that the Re-convened Public Local Inquiry will have been able to determine the balance between such concerns and the wider environmental benefits that are likely to accrue from the total project.
A small scale (75kW) experimental plant operated by Queen’s University, Belfast on the west-facing Atlantic Coast has demonstrated that wave power generation is a feasible proposition. Proposals for a full scale (500 kW) commercial demonstration device are under development at present; expansion to 3MW capacity would follow successful development of this prototype.
The exploitation of renewable energy is universally accepted to be of high priority on both commercial as well as environmental grounds. The geography, climate and fragile rural economy of Islay all come together to make it an ideal location for the living demonstration of renewable energy technologies and this a model for other communities to follow.
The practical application of this could be seen in the use of electric vehicles within the defines economic area of an island location. This mode of transport would be sustainable because indigenously generated renewable energy would be used. It is planned that some electric vehicles can be introduced on Islay later this year as a pilot-scale demonstration project.
The final component of the Islay Energy Project is the intention to establish an Energy Management Agency/Energy Centre, as a means of providing technical support and disseminating the information gained, so that experience on Islay could serve as a model for other communities.
THE VISION
The belief is the Islay Energy Project could become a dynamic, real demonstration of how energy - and renewable energy in particular -could be developed to provide sustainable benefits for an entire community.
The creation of new jobs on the island, for example, would not only help to protect the economy but would also make it possible for young people to stay on the island and not have to leave to find work elsewhere. The vision is of a vibrant and varied local community that satisfies a range of local aspirations and enhances the environment.
"The formation of this company should not only lead to sustainable developments in local life, but could become a model that would be of interest to the rest of Scotland and Beyond."
The Islay Energy Project has been an important catalyst in moves towards the sustainable development vision of the community. These visions are shared by the community, local government, support agencies and industry. However they are not attainable without co-ordinated support to promote and develop the island and its interests. To co-ordinate this work, Scotland’s first sustainable development company is being established. This has the backing of Forward Scotland, Argyll and Bute Council, the Corrom Trust, Argyll & the Islands Enterprise and the Scottish Office as well as of United Distillers & Vintners.
The formation of this company should not only lead to sustainable developments in local life, but could become a model that would be of interest to the rest of Scotland and Beyond.
Many of the ingredients for sustainable development are already in place. We believe that the addition of a few others would enable Islay to become a pioneer in demonstrating how such a concept might be turned into a practical reality.
What might be achieved with a peripheral island such as Islay could become an example for the many hundreds of offshore islands within the European Union - and elsewhere.
PARTNER
For Islay these initiatives represent ‘no small change’. UDV has been a partner with many others in this work, leading, co-ordinating, identifying opportunities and providing financial support where appreciated. We have learnt that the challenge of partnership means understanding and respecting points of view and being willing to accede to the collective good.
Personally I have found the experience stimulating and I have developed a better understanding of the core values and strengths of many unrelated organisations, I trust they will have learnt something about UDV. It is this understanding that has led to our shared vision and commitment of how the wider sustainable development vision could be schemed both within UDV and the wider community.
Our business vision is to develop a new way of working to serve our world-wide customers. This involves our promoting Scotland not only as the unique source of our products, but also as the origin of the heritage and tradition which is such a powerful feature of the international appeal of Scotch whisky. What better than to place sustainable development at the heart of this objective!
Dr Alan Rutherford is Scotch Whisky Production Director, United Distillers & Vintners (formerly United Distillers)
