Members approve green energy investment options which will benefit the Council, environment & public

Highland Council’s Redesign Board members today (31 May 2023) approved moves towards more investment in solar and battery storage. 

In a report to today’s meeting members were asked to consider a number of options for green investment, some of which would not only help the local authority tackle the climate emergency but also provide reduced energy bills for commercial tenants. 

The Council owns a portfolio of commercial properties which are available for rent. This provides an opportunity to develop a commercial onsite Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) model across tenanted properties within the Council’s commercial estate.  

By developing a PPA agreement, the Council could establish, and operate a solar array on tenanted buildings in return for the agreed purchase of all energy generated. 

Highland Council Convener and Chair of the Redesign Board, Cllr Bill Lobban, said: “The benefits to the Council include added value to our property portfolio, an additional revenue stream for the Council and the encouragement of significant carbon reduction across the commercial estate (this does not directly impact the Council's carbon footprint, but it does help to support an area-wide reduction). 

“There are also benefits to tenants including the fact that solar would be fitted for free and owned by the Council, offering tenants by significantly reducing energy costs through a power purchase agreement. 

“An increased number of solar panels fitted to more commercial properties in the Highlands will reduce emissions in a highly visible way, adding more renewable capacity and assisting area-wide sustainability goals.” 

Solar is deployed across the council estate comprising of systems directly connected to properties owned and operated by the Council. Self-generation sites are best described as energy assets. Operated correctly they can demonstrate significant cost-saving benefits to the Council. 

Today members approved proposed changes for the operation of self-generating assets to ensure future management and reporting reflect the importance of energy assets within the Council. 

The proposed operational changes approved today are in the report under Item 6. 

Members noted progress to date in identifying and assessing the potential for the development of utility-level solar generation (solar farms) and battery storage on Council owned land and agreed to the engagement of an independent Grid consultant to establish grid constraint and connection viability across all sites. They also approved developing areas identified as viable to a full business plan for development potential. 

Solar Farm sites with development potential have been identified and detailed within Appendix 1 of the report to Redesign Board. The initially proposed sites are in Brora, Tain, and Inverness. 

The next steps will involve a two-phase approach, the first focusing on analysis on capacity and constraints and the second on engagement and environmental assessments. 

Councillors agreed that a separate report is brought to Highland Council to seek investment funds to proceed to investment decision stage on the projects highlighted in the report to today’s Redesign Board. 

Solar and Battery Storage have been developed to a stage where additional resources are required to develop our complete understanding of how they could directly contribute to the Council’s economic and climate ambitions for the region. 

The report identified several technologies currently under consideration with both Heat Network and Hydrogen proposals in development. Options on both will be presented to the Redesign Board later this year.

Solar installation at Milton of Leys Primary School in Inverness