Scottish Industrial Energy Transformation Fund (SIETF): winners and case studies

• SIETF grant offered: £1,813,994
• project cost: £6,046,600
• deployment competition
• local authority area: Moray

Company business

Chivas Brothers Ltd is a whisky distiller with various sites across Scotland and is part of the wider Pernod Ricard group.

Technology summary

The project aims to improve energy performance and reduce carbon emissions by installing advanced heat-recovery and process-optimisation technologies. It involves a Mechanical Vapour Recompression (MVR) system to reduce energy use and carbon emissions through increased use of electrically-driven heat-efficient distilling processes. The project involves installing four MVR units on the wash stills at Longmorn Distillery. These units will recover vapour energy, reducing direct steam demand.

Emission savings 

The company states that this project will achieve reductions of approximately 2,048 tCO₂e per year, validated against comparable distillery applications.

• SIETF grant offered: £297,291
• project cost: £990,972
• deployment competition
• local authority area: Glasgow City

Company business

Iomart Group plc is one of the UK's leading providers of secure cloud managed services, simplifying the complexities of modern technology for businesses, with the majority of Group revenue derived from the UK. A team of 600+ deliver cutting-edge solutions in cloud infrastructure, modern workplace management, and managed security services that enable customers to innovate, protect, and scale their businesses.

Technology summary

This project involves deploying a high-efficiency hybrid cooling system at Iomart’s Glasgow data centre. It aims to improve the existing direct-expansion computer room air conditioning units with Hybrid and Free-Cooling CRAC Units.

Emission savings 

Since Iomart already uses low-carbon power (about 50 gCO2 per kWh). This project states an annual reduction in CO₂ emissions of 35% compared to existing, or 46 tCO₂e per year.

• SIETF grant offered: £482,669
• project cost: £965,398
• deployment competition
• local authority area: Edinburgh City

Company business

The North British Distillery Company makes Scotch grain whisky, which is used as the base for blended Scotch whisky brands. The company also produces valuable by-products, including animal feed and products for AD plants.

Technology summary

This project focuses on expanding the company’s Moist Distillers’ Grains (MDG) offloading process to lower energy use at the site. The trial phase is finished and included building a loading bay to allow direct sales of MDG.

Emission savings 

The company states that this project will cut net emissions by 5,326 tCO₂e per year which covers an increase of about 1,000 tCO₂e from extra vehicle trips needed to move the wet by-product to market. The data also show that removing the drier system will lower electricity use by 4,106 MWh per year.

•  SIETF grant offered: £225,000
• project cost: £450,000
• deployment competition
• local authority area: Falkirk 

Company business

Syngenta Ltd operates a major manufacturing facility in Grangemouth, producing crop protection products and agricultural chemicals. The site is one of the company's key global manufacturing hubs, employing advanced industrial processes in the production of essential agricultural solutions, including pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides.

Technology summary

The project plans to use inline, variable-speed, high-shear mixing technology in the manufacturing process. This advanced mixer allows the use of granular reagents, which helps save energy, improve processes, and boost product quality, while also cutting down on raw material use. The system uses a rotor-stator setup, in either a bath or inline arrangement, to create strong shear forces that emulsify, blend, or disperse materials.

Emission savings 

The company states that this technology is expected to reduce emissions at Grangemouth by approximately 900tCO2e per year, with the potential to expand this reduction by 3500tCO2e per year if high-shear mixing were applied to other processes at the Grangemouth site.

•  SIETF grant offered: £45,000
• project cost: £75,000
• study competition
• local authority area: Highlands/Alness

Company business

Aquascot is a Scottish seafood company that processes and supplies responsibly farmed salmon and trout. It develops high-quality fish products for retail, including fresh and prepared dishes.

Technology summary

This feasibility study and design project for the new processing facility will help Aquascot to meet its decarbonisation goals. The planned changes will greatly lower energy use and carbon emissions at the Alness site.

The proposed project will include facilities for processing farmed fish products for supermarkets. Existing facilities have poor energy efficiency, including temporary buildings and outdated refrigeration equipment. The new facility will enable the implementation of measures outlined in the company’s Net Zero Pathway to enhance energy efficiency, including waste heat recovery from refrigeration systems, solar photovoltaic (PV) and battery installations, improved insulation, enhanced metering, and building management system (BMS) upgrades.

Emission savings 

The study project states that the new facility and proposed low-carbon technologies are expected to cut annual emissions by 331 tCO2e per year.

• SIETF Grant Offered: £51,178 
• project Cost: £102,357
• study competition
• local authority area: Perth and Kinross

Company business

John Dewar and Sons Limited is a whisky producer with various sites across Scotland and is part of Bacardi Limited.

Technology summary

This project will carry out technical feasibility studies at three John Dewar and Sons Limited malt whisky distilleries: Aberfeldy, Aultmore, and Royal Brackla. The goal is to find practical ways for each site to reduce carbon emissions, helping the company to reach its goals of Net Zero Carbon in direct operations by 2040 and across its value chain by 2050, targets approved by the Science Based Targets initiative. 

Emission savings 

The feasibility studies will assess a range of heat and energy technologies to determine their technical, financial, and operational viability. A key aim is to quantify the potential for carbon savings and energy efficiency improvements, with preliminary analysis suggesting that significant site-wide energy efficiency gains may be achievable. These improvements are expected to be realised through the retrofitting of advanced technologies such as mechanical vapour recompression, high-temperature heat pumps, and thermal energy storage systems.