The projects have seen 512 photovoltaic (PV) panels installed at Bothwellbank Waste Water Treatment Works in South Lanarkshire, which are able to generate 0.23GWh of power and will offset around a fifth of the site’s energy needs.
In addition, 373 tank-mounted PV panels are now in place at Roseberry Water Treatment Works in Midlothian, supplementing 178 panels which were installed as part of a previous scheme. The site can now generate a total of 0.18GWh of energy, offsetting 12% of its energy needs.
Combined, these installations are expected to produce 0.41GWh of green electricity each year – equivalent to the energy needed to boil around 1.8 million kettles annually.
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This latest £678,000 investment by Scottish Water and its commercial subsidiary, Scottish Water Horizons, sees the sites join a growing list of water and waste water treatment works which are now either self-sufficient or partly sufficient in their power requirements.
Scottish Water Horizons Project Manager Alan Mearns said: "We are ramping up the pace and scale of our solar power programme in order to ensure that we can meet our ambitious target of net zero carbon emissions by 2040 and are delighted that these solar schemes are now complete.
"We also know from customer feedback that there is a strong desire to see reduced emissions from our water and waste water processes. Many of our industrial and commercial customers have their own net zero targets and lower carbon emissions from water and waste water services are important aspects of reducing the environmental impact of their supply chain."
Scottish Water Operations Team Leader Kenny Stewart added: "The installation of these solar panels is a significant step forward for our operations. By reducing our reliance on grid electricity and cutting down on carbon emissions, we are making our treatment works more sustainable and resilient. It's inspiring to see the positive impact these projects are having on our energy efficiency and environmental footprint."
The climate crisis is significantly increasing the frequency of extreme weather events across the UK, emphasising the need for immediate action to reduce emissions and drive the transition to renewable energy sources.
The schemes were delivered on behalf of Scottish Water Horizon’s by specialist contractor Absolute Solar & Wind.
