Meeting of the Parliament 26 October 2017
I am glad to support the Scottish Government’s commitment to making Scotland a hydro nation. Water is fundamental to Scotland’s economy, health, social wellbeing and environment. Our reputation as a hydro nation is growing. Our water resource is significant and, in a world in which demand for food and water is ever increasing, there is good reason to nurture our water to ensure its long-term sustainable use.
From the Water of Leith today to the maritime heritage of Leith and Granton harbours, the use, management and quality of water resources in my constituency have always been extremely important. I pay tribute to all those who work in our water industry and who contributed to Scotland’s water heritage in the past. William Kinnimond Burton, for example, was an engineer who was born and educated in Edinburgh, and designed the water and sewerage systems in Japan and Taiwan in the 19th century, which helped to defeat outbreaks of cholera in Japan by providing safer and cleaner water. He is rightly revered there. He did his apprenticeship at Brown Brothers and Co—a firm of hydraulic and mechanical engineers—which was previously based in my constituency.
Today, it is the public servants of Scottish Water, and others in our water industry, whose efforts and contributions we should all highlight and value. In my constituency, that is particularly true when it comes to the Seafield waste water treatment works. It is an important facility in the city, which has a growing population. The performance of the treatment works is extremely important to the long-term sustainability of our water network.
I thank the cabinet secretary for the constructive work that she has done with me so far, and for her engagement with the communities that I represent in commissioning a strategic review of Seafield, which I am sure will make a significant difference. Tomorrow, its initial findings will be shared with the stakeholders group; I look forward to working collaboratively with the cabinet secretary thereafter to see what progress needs to be made.
One of the great strengths of the Seafield works so far is that, as part of its waste water treatment, it generates a significant amount of electricity on the site, which makes the plant more sustainable.
That leads to another area that I want to emphasise—utilisation of our hydro capacity through innovative energy generation, as part of our journey to becoming a low-carbon economy. Many members mentioned Scotland’s significant hydroelectric capacity. I, like others, was disappointed that the United Kingdom Government decided to cut feed-in tariffs of up to 45 per cent in respect of the development of hydro power, which unfortunately curtailed hydro power development after a recent period of renaissance.
Marine energy has also been highlighted: I will highlight tidal energy, in particular. Despite the fact that there is no specific contract for difference from the UK Government in the subsidy arrangement for tidal power, Scotland’s tidal power industry is making significant progress, including by Nova Innovation Ltd, which is based in my constituency and has successfully delivered phase 1 of the world’s first off-shore tidal array in Shetland, with an 80 per cent Scottish supply chain.
In conclusion, from Leith to elsewhere in Scotland, making Scotland a hydro nation and nurturing our water resource sustainably in the long term are crucial, and the hydro economy provides huge opportunities for growth. As a hydro nation, it is right for us to reach out to the world to share our knowledge and expertise, just as William Kinnimond Burton did in the 19th century.
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