People walking through a field with wild flowers

Net zero heroes

Businesses and communities from across the Highlands and Islands are taking action towards a sustainable future.

Looking for inspiring stories? Meet our net zero heroes.

Everyone can have a part in reducing emissions and protecting the future of the unique natural environment we enjoy in the Highlands and Islands. 

Meet just a few of our region's #netzeroheroes from across the years who are leading change in sectors like energy, tourism and food & drink, who are protecting our natural resources, and who are improving efficiency and sustainability in businesses and communities. 

Every change, whether large or small helps. 

Climate Week 2024

It's Scotland's climate week from 23-29 September. What a great opportunity to look at the wide range of activity happening across the Highlands and Islands to tackle the climate crisis. 

Hear from:

  1. Lawrie at Black Isle Brewery in Munlochy
  2. Keith at Wee Studio Records in the Isle of Lewis
  3. Kerry at 8 Doors Distillery at John O'Groats
  4. Moray from Mull and Iona Community Trust at Ulva Ferry
  5. Alison from History Links Museum in Dornoch
  6. Allister from Easy Empty Bag in Dunoon

They're all featuring this week in our socials.
Click through for more information about our support in greening your business.

Large wind turbines on hillside of heather at Glen Orin

Net zero film showcase

We've gathered together some inspiring stories of net zero activity to showcase work already happening in our region. Browse our films here on transition, on energy, on green islands and more.

See showcase

Green Grant Fund

If your business or social enterprise is planning to invest in projects to reduce carbon emissions, we could help.  

Grants of up to £250,000 are available for initiatives like energy efficiency, renewable energy solutions, and waste management.  Projects in remote and rural areas can receive up to 50% funding. 

Meet some of our previous Green Grant Fund recipients, and find out more about the current fund.

Green Grant Fund

Inverness Kart Raceway

Social enterprise Inverness Kart Raceway has made the move from petrol-powered go-karts to electric vehicles, significantly reducing its carbon footprint and saving an impressive £20,000 annually on fuel costs.

 

DAY1 and Inverness Kart Raceway
Scalloway Community

Scalloway Youth and Community Centre are feeling the benefits of greening their building. Their extensive insulation work is vastly improving energy efficiency and reducing heating costs. 

 

Scalloway Youth and Community Centre
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Keen to reduce their reliance on gas and direct electric heating the Ledge in Inverness has installed an air source heat pump. It has cut energy usage, lowered costs and is set to reduce carbon emissions by around 60%.

 

The Ledge

LOW CARBON ENERGY IN THE HIGHLANDS AND ISLANDS

Hear about the challenges and opportunities available in the Highlands and Islands whilst working towards a net zero Scotland by 2045.

We have a proven track record of world firsts in renewable energy and innovation

World’s first commercial scale tidal farm in Pentland Firth

Glenwyvis Distillery committed to net zero.

Nova Innovation create advanced tidal turbine

World first created by Orbital in Scotland for renewable energy source

Passivhaus energy efficiency for Outer Hebrides build

Our Net Zero Heroes - Transition

Businesses and organisations across the region are exploring innovative solutions, creating jobs and developing new skills and expertise to address key climate challenge issues.

Renewable Parts 2

Renewable Parts

Renewable Parts is a supplier of new and refurbished turbine parts to the global wind energy sector, employing eight staff in Lochgilphead in Argyll.

They are passionate about the circular economy with a strong vision of how to make the industry greener.

NortEnergy, Shetland a polycrub being built

Nortenergy

A lack of quality fruit and vegetables available locally inspired Nortenergy to develop Polycrub.

The social enterprise set up by the Northmavine Community Development Company operates in the northernmost peninsula of mainland Shetland. Polycrub enables fruit and vegetables to be grown undercover in extreme climates.

Selling Polycrub kits has become a key trading activity for Nortenergy.

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Using food waste to tackle plastic pollution

CuanTec has developed a world-first method for biologically extracting a naturally occurring polymer, chitin, from waste langoustine shells and converting this to the base material for plastic-free food packaging.

Celtic Crustacean Collaboration
Green Islands energy device

Clean Islands

Seven of the region’s islands are working together on an international project to lower carbon emissions associated with heat, transport and electricity supplies for residents.

The islands of Eigg, Muck, Rum, Canna, Fair Isle, Foula and the peninsula of Knoydart were selected as ‘pioneering islands’ in the Clean Energy for EU Islands programme and have now developed decarbonisation pathways.

Pure Water - Team Indoors

Pure Water

Highlands-based Pure Water International is a start-up that works with large-scale industry and private suppliers to help them access clean water.

As part of our Technology Placement Programme two Aero-Mechanical Engineering graduates from Strathclyde University have designed a purification prototype to remove chemicals, medication, plastic fibres and polluted substances from water.

Sams Seaweed

Scottish Association for Marine Science

At SAMS, research work is taking place to increase knowledge around seaweed farming.

A better understanding of the production cycle will help create a vibrant industry which is actively helping to lower carbon levels and provide alternative food sources for people, animals and plants.

Play Video

Net zero skills and careers

The race to net zero is opening up interesting opportunities and green jobs with innovation and sustainability at their core. Meet some young graduates working with enterprises across the the region.

Island business's eco expansion

Amanda and Julian Saurin have developed the Temple Café in South Harris as a place to celebrate local island produce. Their wide range of products are made by hand, and an expansion supported by HIE for a new building will give them the space they need to launch a coffee roastery, smokery, for food preparation, and to expand their local drinks range.

Meet Amanda in our film to find out more about her efforts to support a circular economy.

See the news release here

Justin Gillen And Elliot Seguin Ampaire Test Pilots at demonstration of first hybrid electric aircraft in Scotland

FIRST HYBRID ELECTRIC AIRCRAFT IN SCOTLAND

The Sustainable Aviation Test Environment (SATE) is the UK's first low-carbon aviation centre.  The photograph here is from 2021 when pioneering Orkney based project celebrated the first hybrid electric flight in Scotland across the Pentland Firth between Kirkwall and Wick John O’Groats airports.

The project is delivered through a national consortium of industry partners, academia and public sector bodies matching technology with real world scenarios, including use of cargo drones and zero emission aircraft. 

Find out more

Buildings

Meet some of the projects greening our homes, businesses and community spaces

Sustainable growing

Businesses and organisations involved in food sourcing and production

Supporting transformation - skills and technology

New technologies are improving our capacity all the time to change how we live and work.

Newsletter

Sign up for all the latest news, information on investments and development opportunities from across our region.

Taking action

Hear from some of our business and community organisations taking climate action

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