Scottish and Southern look to the sun

Southern Water and Scottish Water have unveiled plans to extend their solar power capacities

Southern has appointed investment manager, Downing, to deliver 12 new solar photovoltaic projects to power its water treatment facilities under long-term offtake agreements.

The renewable energy and infrastructure arm of Downing’s Estate Planning Service will invest some £12m over two years to deliver the solar power projects which, in total, will generate 8.4GWh a year for use by the water firm. The project is the first phase of Southern Water’s solar strategy

Downing’s in-house project development team, will manage the development and construction of the installations.. Downing said the project is its third of its type with UK water companies.

Scottish Water has tripled solar power production at its Kirkcaldy Waste Water Treatment Works in Fife with a £700,000 installation that has added more than 400MWh a year to the output from the site to take it to 14% of the treatment works’ demand.

The installation includes 128 bifacial solar panels that produce power from light striking both sides and thereby taking up less space than conventional, single-sided panels.

Scottish Water has, to date, installed 21MW of solar power capacity at 62 sites, generating 17.2 GWh a year.