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Timeline of Net Zero Energy in Shetland

Explore Shetland's long history of leading the transition to net zero energy

1983 - Fair Isle Wind

The community of Fair Isle installed the first commercial wind turbine in the UK

1989 - Susetter Hill Wind
North of Scotland Hydro-Electric Board

An experimental Howden HWP wind turbine is erected on Susetter Hill, Voe (750kW)

1998 - Lerwick District Heating Scheme
Shetland Heat Energy and Power

The Lerwick District Heating Scheme goes live with heat from the Energy Recovery Plant delivered to buildings in Lerwick

1999 - Fair Isle Electric Company

The Fair Isle Electric Company is formed

2001 - Burradale Wind Farm
Shetland Aerogenerators

Burradale Wind Farm, the most productive windfarm in the world per unit of installed capacity, is operational

2001 - Promoting Unst Renewable Energy (PURE)

The first community owned renewable hydrogen energy project of its kind in the world

2003 - Shetland Renewable Energy Forum

“Working toward a sustainable future in Shetland”, the Shetland Renewable Energy Forum is formed (and would later go dormant in 2014)

2005 - Wind2Heat
Highlands & Islands Community Energy Company

First Wind2Heat systems are installed, connecting wind turbines directly to the storage heating systems of community organisations

2006 - Pure Energy Centre

The Pure Energy Centre is launched, pioneering hydrogen technology across the globe

2008 - Foula Energy Trust

Foula Community Energy Scheme is operational

2011 - Northern Isles New Energy Solutions Project (NINES)
Scottish Hydro Electric Power Distribution

Active management of energy demand, generation and energy storage assets trialed in Shetland.

2014 - Shetland Tidal Array
Nova Innovation

The first community owned tidal turbine is installed in Bluemull Sound (30kW)

2015 - Luggie’s Knowe Wind Farm
Shetland Aerogenerators

Luggie’s Knowe Wind Farm is operational (3MW)

2016 - Shetland Tidal Array
Nova Innovation

The world’s first offshore tidal stream energy array is deployed in Bluemull Sound, supplying clean, predictable power to the Shetland grid (300kW)

2017 - Garth Wind Farm
North Yell Development Council

Garth Wind Farm is operational (4.5MW)

2017 - Beaw Field Wind Farm
Peel Energy

Beaw Field Wind Farm received planning consent (57.8MW)

2018 - Foula Energy Scheme

The Foula Enegy Scheme is refurbished

2018 - Shetland Tidal Array
Nova Innovation

Nova partners with Tesla to install energy storage at the Shetland Tidal Array, providing baseload tidal power to the Shetland grid. Another world first.

2019 - Mossy Hill Wind Farm
Peel Energy

Mossy Hill Wind Farm received planning consent (46.8MW)

2019 - Yell Wind Farm
Energy Isles Ltd.

Planning application is submitted for the Yell Wind Farm (126MW)

2020 - ORION Clean Energy Project

The ORION Clean Energy Project, a strategic framework that aims to shape Shetland as a world leading green energy island, is launched

2020 - Shetland Tidal Array
Nova Innovation

A fourth turbine is added to the Shetland Tidal Array (0.5MW)

2020 - Global Climate Emergency

Shetland Islands Council recognized the Global Climate Emergency

2020 - Viking Wind Energy Farm
SSE Renewables

Viking Wind Energy Farm is under construction (443MW)

2020 - Shetland HVDC Link
SSE Transmission

Shetland HVDC link (600MW, 320/132kV substation and HVDC converter station) under construction

2021 - Shetland Net Zero Energy Forum

“Championing Shetland’s transition to Net Zero”, the Shetland Net Zero Energy Forum is formed

2021 - Shetland Tidal Array
Nova Innovation

Nova partners with SIC to install the world’s first tidal powered electric vehicle charge point.

2022 - ScotWind NE1
Crown Estates Scotland

Three projects offered seabed agreements for offshore wind projects under Crown Estate Scotland’s ScotWind.

2023 - Shetland Tidal Array
Nova Innovation

A fifth and sixth tidal turbine are added to the Shetland Tidal Array, making it the array with the largest number of operational tidal stream turbines in the world (6 turbines totalling 0.6MW)