A £1 million solar scheme has been delivered at a Scottish Water Horizons’ owned facility linked to Levenmouth Waste Water Treatment Works (WWTW) in Fife.
Over 1,700 ground mounted solar panels have been installed at the site in Cowdenbeath, which receives and stores commercial liquid waste before transferring it to Levenmouth WWTW for treatment and disposal.
The project is expected to generate 0.53 GWh of green electricity a year, 60% of which will be used on site to meet 29% of the site’s total energy needs. The other 40% will be exported to the grid.
The system is tipped to continue delivering savings for over 30 years and save around 109 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent each year.
The project has been led by Scottish Water Horizons, Scottish Water’s commercial subsidiary, and delivered by renewables specialists Absolute Solar and Wind.
Murdo MacAulay, project manager at Scottish Water Horizons, said, “This site handles large volumes of liquid waste which we store and release safely to ensure full environmental compliance. It is great to see this solar scheme in operation at the site now, generating green energy and reducing the carbon associated with managing commercial and run-off waste.
“We continue to deliver solar schemes at Scottish Water sites across the country as we focus on achieving our net zero target by 2040, which we are currently on track to achieve. Another important driver for these projects is reducing Scottish Water’s operating costs.”
Derek Ross, operator at the facility, added, “In addition to the solar scheme, several biodiversity measures will be implemented on site including tree planting, log piles, seeding of wildflower meadows and new hedging to enhance habitats and support local wildlife. Offsetting our carbon footprint is not just about using renewable energy technology but also about giving back to and protecting the natural environment at our sites.”
