Bid for Green Energy at Lanarkshire Works

11 April 2022

Scottish Water Horizons has applied for planning permission for a solar installation to power a waste water treatment works.

The company proposes to install 560 photovoltaic (PV) panels at Skellyton near Larkhall to support Scottish Water’s net zero ambitions.

The carbon-reducing technology will offset more than 20 per cent of the energy needed to operate the facility. It is also expected to generate 150MWh of energy each year – the same amount needed to boil a kettle 1.5 million times.

Outside view of of a waste water treatment works which is processing larges volumes of brown-coloured water
Solar PV panels proposed for Skellyton Waste Water Treatment Works, South Lanarkshire

Donald MacBrayne, Business Development Manager, said: “Offsetting energy usage through renewable generation is a key part of delivering on our commitment to achieving net zero emissions by 2040.

“This scheme will not only help Skellyton treatment works on the way to energy self-sufficiency, it will also contribute around 12 per cent of the generated electricity to the national grid, helping to offset carbon emissions further afield.”

The installation of the solar array will cut carbon emissions associated with the site by over 20 tonnes per annum.

Horizons proposed to install the PV panels in an area of scrub, brownfield land within the boundaries of the existing works.

The project is the latest in a long list of renewables schemes already installed at many treatment works and other Scottish Water assets across Scotland.

Scottish Water has committed to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2040 with an interim target to host or self-generate three times its annual electricity consumption by 2030.

Almost 80 of the company’s treatment works are now either self-sufficient or partly sufficient in their power requirements.

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