Work has begun on a new Scottish power plant that will take waste from the distilling industry and turn it into biomass fuel.
The £60 million facility in Rothes will take by-products from the process of distilling whisky and burn it to produce renewable energy.
When completed, the plant will produce around 7.2 megawatts of electricity – enough to power around 9,000 homes.
In addition, the residue from the combustion process will be used as a high-protein animal feed.
Gavin Hewitt, chief executive of the Scotch Whisky Association, told the BBC: "In 2009 the industry made a commitment to reduce its reliance on fossil fuels as a source of energy.
"The project shows how we can create a virtuous circle within the Scotch whisky production process."
Sam Gardner, climate policy officer for WWF Scotland, recently described the new plant as a "welcome addition" to Scotland's portfolio of renewable energy power generation factories.
Typical Guttridge equipment used in the distilling industry includes:
Conveyors – screw conveyors – chain conveyors – belt conveyors
