New solar panel project in Glasgow approved

Glasgow council buildings including schools and the Emirates Arena are in line to have solar panels installed to save hundreds of thousands of pounds on electricity.

The first buildings to have the photovoltaic panels installed will be Kelvin Hall, day care centres in Mallaig Road and Muirhead Road as well as Dalmarnock, Camstradden, Haghill and St Bernard’s primaries and Glasgow Scientific Services (Colston Lab).

The move, which is to cost £1.3 million, could lead to an electricity cost saving of £250,000 annually with the contract for the work to start in September. Cash for the project will be drawn from the council’s capital budget and be match funded by public body Salix. Councillors were given an update on the plans in a report at the net zero climate progress monitoring city policy committee yesterday.

Additional council properties gearing up for the renewable energy technology include the Emirates Arena, Royal Concert Hall, Glasgow Museum RC, and Tollcross, Bellahouston, Gorbals and Springburn leisure centres at a cost of £2.7 million. Installations on those buildings would save £500,000 per year based on current power prices and 100 per cent local consumption of generated electricity.

Labour councillor Eva Murray put forward an amendment at the committee calling for community groups to be involved in the selection of sites and potential ownership of solar panel installations or partnership work. It was agreed information would be added into the committee report including reference to ongoing work and more information relating to a community energy framework and that there are specific next steps listed.