Construction has begun on Scotland’s largest solar farm – which will have 55,000 solar panels. 70 acres of land at Carse of Gowrie on the Errol estate, east of Perth, will be devoted to housing the solar panels. The 14MW scheme is expected to be operational by March, and will generate electricity all year round. Bristol-based firm Elgin Energy has designed the site. It is being built by Canadian Solar which will initially operate the facility. Canadian Solar will cover the site with enough panels to power more than 3,500 homes, via the National Grid. Errol Estate was one of the first locations in Scotland to be identified as a potential solar farm site.
BBC 6th Jan 2016 read more »
Scottish Energy News 7th Jan 2016 read more »
Despite the dark clouds still covering much of Scotland, the search is on for new locations where the power of the sun’s rays can best be harnessed to produce electricity. Although solar energy was one of the smaller contributors to the renewable energy sector which generated 49.7 per cent of Scotland’s electricity in 2014 (the latest figures available), it is expected to grow significantly. Construction has now begun on Scotland’s largest solar farm on 70 acres of the Errol Estate in the Carse of Gowrie on the River’s Tay’s flood plain between Perth and Dundee. The 14MW scheme is anticipated to be operational by March and will ultimately provide power for more than 3,500 homes.
Herald 6th Jan 2016 read more »
Scotland’s solar capacity has risen by over a quarter in the last year, an increase of almost 9,000 per cent since 2010, reveal new figures from Ofgem. The statistics, published by WWF Scotland and the Solar Trade Association Scotland (STA Scotland), show that over 40,000 homes and 850 businesses have solar systems fitted, with overall capacity reaching 179MW, a rise of 28 per cent, while capacity on homes now stands at 159MW. The 2015 figures are in stark contrast to the 2MW of solar capacity Scotland had in 2010, while WWF Scotland and the STA Scotland have called on the Scottish Government to do all it can to help encourage the recent solar surge in the country, stating that the installations can aid annual CO2 emissions reductions.
EnergyZine 5th Jan 2016 read more »
H&V News 5th Jan 2016 read more »
Baroness Featherstone, a former Liberal Democrat coalition minister, has tabled a “regret motion” calling for the cuts to the “feed-in tariff” subsidies to be rescinded. If the motion wins the support of Labour and significant numbers of cross-benchers, it could see the government defeated in the Lords. The prime minister’s ruling party has a majority in the House of Commons, where the Lib Dems were reduced to a pitiful rump of eight MPs in May’s general election. Yet the Tories are outnumbered in the upper chamber, with 251 Tory peers to 213 Labour and 111 Lib Dem – out of 822 Lords and Baronesses.
FT 6th Jan 2016 read more »