Council makes significant carbons savings from Solar PV roll out.

An ambitious renewables installation programme by The Highland Council to install Solar PV units at 33 sites across its estate - generating a total of over 2.3MW - has been welcomed by councillors.

Members of the Council’s Climate Change Working Group were recently updated (on Friday 6 November 2020), on the Solar PV Programme roll out to date and its proposed next steps.

Chair of the Climate Change Working Group Cllr Trish Robertson said: “The progress of the Solar PV programme is delivering significant carbon savings for the Council and some protection from future electricity price increases as we continue to work towards our Climate and Ecological targets.” 

Installations are taking place Pan-Highland, predominantly in high electricity consuming corporate buildings such as schools and leisure facilities. Viable buildings that benefit from the addition of solar panels will see a reduction in electricity consumed from the grid and therefore a reduction in carbon emissions.

The Solar PV programme will deliver significant carbon savings for the Council and forms part of a wider Salix Recycling Fund (RF). This means financial savings will be reinvested in further energy efficiency projects within the Council, resulting in a greater reduction in carbon.

The delivery and duration of the programme has been elongated due to Covid-19. Stringent health and safety control measures, working practices and the constraints on multiple site working has delayed the planned programme.  The Energy and Renewables Board agreed - due to Covid-19 - that delay due to heightened risk was acceptable.  The project team are optimistic that all 33 sites will be fully complete and operational by early 2021, albeit with the caveat that any increase in Covid-19 restrictions could impact contractors’ ability to travel and undertake works.

The Solar PV Programme will deliver the following benefits:

• Savings of – 350,000Kg CO2e per annum that support the Council’s ambitious Climate & Ecological Emergency Targets;
• Further protect the Council from future electricity price increased;
• Demonstrate the key aims of The Highland Council – to be ambitious, sustainable and connected;
• Serve as a successful example of a self-financing proposal and establish business justification for an increase in renewables across the estate;
• Build green credentials and improve the organisations track record of delivery.

To ensure sites being progressed realise sufficient savings to satisfy SF criteria, projects require to repay themselves within 10 years through energy bill savings and must cost no more than £278 per tonne of carbon dioxide saved.