18 October 2018

Carbon emissions to be cut significantly with introduction of LPG to Aberdeenshire quarries

Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG) infrastructure will be installed at quarries run by Aberdeenshire Council to significantly reduce their carbon emissions.

Balmedie, Craiglash and Pitcaple quarries provide material for local road construction and maintenance, as well as supplying the private sector. 

Every year the quarries sell around 210,000 tonnes of material, worth around £7 million, of which bituminous material accounts for around 90,000 tonnes.

This material is dried using dual fuel burners, capable of using both kerosene and LPG.

Members of the council’s Infrastructure Services Committee (ISC) heard LPG produces far less carbon emissions and agreed the switch in fuels, as well as a contract for supply over five years.

Councillors heard that while financial savings from the switch will be minimal under the £1.5million contract, it will mean a reduction in carbon emissions of around 250 tonnes a year, or 13%. 

Engineers put the proposal together with Climate Change Team colleagues and it is part of the authority’s carbon budget – Aberdeenshire Council was the first local authority in Scotland to set one alongside its revenue, housing and capital budgets in 2017.

ISC Chair, Peter Argyle, said: “Amongst many other benefits, having a carbon budget has really pushed reducing carbon emissions up our agenda, as shown by this proposal and the support shown for it.

“We are continually looking at ways of reducing the council’s impact on the environment as a major business in the north east of Scotland with a wide scope of operations.

“I am keen to see more proposals of this kind come forward, looking at how we can do things better and more efficiently, with due regard to our environment.”

Vice chair John Cox said: “This was clearly a straightforward decision for the committee, as although financial savings will be minimal, it will have a big impact on carbon emissions.

“As we all look for ways to reduce the impact we have on our environment it’s important for the council to lead by example and change established ways of doing things where that makes sense, not just based on cost or savings, but looking at the impact on the planet too.”