NEWS & INSIGHTS | Opinion
Green shore power goes live at Port of Aberdeen
Luca Corradi
Luca works to bring “the outside in”, connecting innovators and academics across sectors and disciplines, to explore the latest technologies that could be adopted to address oil and gas industry challenges. Leading The Net Zero Technology Centre’s horizon scanning activity, he identifies emerging technology trends, cutting through the hype to identify potential areas of impact and application. With a background in business and organisational change leadership, Luca has developed a strong network and is passionate about harnessing this to deliver the next generation of the net zero energy industry.
Outside work Luca loves reading, music and travel. He is married with two young daughters and a dog. He enjoys the rare motorbike ride in Scotland and even rarer ski trip on the Alps.
This week’s net zero news: Progress in reducing emissions; Solar Roadmap; Port becarbonisation
Chief Technology Officer at NZTC, Luca Corradi, and his team closely monitor the global net zero landscape. They follow the trends, policies, investments, and technological innovations that, together, bring the world closer to its shared climate goals. Learn more about our horizon scanning service. This week, Luca and his team look at the Climate Change Committees recent emissions reduction analysis, strategy to increase solar deployment across UK’s, and Scotland’s ‘largest’ maritime decarbonisation project.
The Climate Change Committee has published their ‘Progress in Reducing Emissions – 2025 Report to Parliament’
In 2024, the UK’s territorial emissions were 413.7 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalent including international aviation and shipping. This is 50.4% lower than 1990 and a 2.5% reduction from 2023. Although overall progress is encouraging, the pace of emissions reductions will need to increase to achieve the UK’s 2030 Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) of a 68% reduction. Emission reductions were driven by the electricity supply and industry sectors, but were partially offset by an increase in emissions from flying, with aviation now contributing a greater share of total UK emissions than the entire electricity supply sector.
The Climate Change Committee (CCC) analysis finds that over 80% of the required emissions savings between now and 2030 need to come from sectors other than energy supply.
Most of the required reduction will come from electrification of key technologies, including in surface transport, buildings, and industry. The continued decarbonisation and expansion of the electricity system is key to enable this.
To hit the 2030 NDC, the CCC assesses that 61% of the required reductions are covered by either credible plans or has some associated risks, mostly in the electricity supply and surface transport sectors. For the remaining 39%, there are either significant risks, or insufficient or unquantified plans. The biggest risks are around the roll-out of heat pumps and support for industrial electrification.
Beyond 2030 to achieve the Sixth Carbon Budget, surface transport, buildings and industry need to make major contributions to emissions reduction. Increasing contributions from reducing emissions in aviation, agriculture, and land use, and in ramping up engineered removals will also be required.
Source: Climate Change Committee Progress in Reducing Emissions – 2025 report to Parliament
The UK Government have published their Solar Roadmap, detailing the strategy to increase the deployment of solar across the UK
The Clean Power Action Plan calls for the rapid acceleration of solar deployment, from over 18 gigawatt at present to 45-47 gigawatt by 2030. The Solar Roadmap outlines practical actions for industry and government to deliver this within the next five years and beyond.
Key measures include:
The Future Homes Standard is set to be implemented in autumn 2025 and mandates that installing solar panels will be default on the majority of new build homes.
The Warm Homes Plan will help households reduce energy bills through measures including installing solar panels. In the spending review the government committed £13.2 billion to the plan. Further detail will be set out by October.
Great British Energy’s first major project will involve the installation of rooftop solar on around 200 schools and up to 200 hospitals in England. GB Energy will support communities by providing funding and support at all stages of project development.
The Green Finance Institute (GFI) will work with Government, the finance sector, consumer rights organisations, and other relevant industry bodies to facilitate rooftop solar and provide financial solutions for all suitable customers.
The UK Government will consider further support for Floating solar PV (FPV) by reviewing how it and other innovative solar technologies are considered in the Contracts for Difference scheme. The UK Government will explore how planning levers could further support floating solar projects.
Source: DESNZ Solar Roadmap – United Kingdom Powered by Solar
Scotland’s ‘largest’ maritime decarbonisation project is now live, providing green shore power for vessels at the Port of Aberdeen
The Port of Aberdeen’s maritime decarbonisation project is now live, providing green shore power for vessels at eight berths in the port’s North Harbour. This allows vessels to directly plug into power from the port’s renewable energy tariff instead of running on their own fossil fuel auxiliary engines while at berth. Five vessels have been retrofitted to accept the shore power, with aims to increase to around 30 vessels by 2029.
The harbour has an ambition to become the UK’s first net-zero port by 2040.
The newly electrified berths are part of the ‘Shore Power in Operation’ demonstrator, supported by the Department for Transport’s Zero Emissions, Vessels and Infrastructure (ZEVI) competition. This joint public-private partnership at the Port of Aberdeen represents a combined investment of £4 million in new clean energy infrastructure.
This is part of a wider movement to decarbonise the maritime industry in the UK. In March 2025, the Port of Leith showcased the ‘world’s first’ Green Hydrogen Shore Power Demonstrator, which saw large tugs powered by green hydrogen whilst at berth.
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