A new 20-acre solar park has been built in Angus after a £2 million investment.
The funding has allowed Ecosse Solar Parks to install a field of state-of-the-art solar panels at Forfar.
Energy generated on the site will be sold back to the National Grid, bolstering the region’s clean energy supply.
Founded in 2019, Ecosse Solar Parks is the newest venture from family-run firm, Albamuir.
It adds to the group’s portfolio of local businesses, which includes Angus Biofuels and a nearby storage facility.
Sustainability has been a priority since Albamuir was established 25 years ago.
It has gone from building eco-friendly offices and houses to now producing over 6,000,000kwh of green electricity per year.
The launch of the park has allowed the family to further diversify its assets by selling electricity onto the grid.
‘Sustainability at the forefront’ for Angus business
The project was made possible by £1.9m funding from Lombard Asset Finance, part of the NatWest Group.
Angus Watson, who runs Ecosse Solar Parks, said the investment and support from Lombard was “invaluable” throughout the project.
He said: “Sustainability has always been at the forefront of everything we do.
“While we were well established when it came to generating our own solar energy, building infrastructure of this scale was a completely new challenge.”
Mr Watson is now helping other local businesses looking to make the switch to green energy.
“We’re now in a position where we’re able to use the experience we’ve gained to help other farmers in the local area move into green energy production.
“The solar industry is moving at such pace that the biggest challenge we faced was the risk the equipment we purchased would soon be outdated.
“This funding meant we could invest in the latest, most up-to-date infrastructure – allowing us to future-proof the park.”
New Angus solar park a ‘significant’ boost
Lombard senior relationship manager Dale Robertson was pleased to support the project.
He said: “Angus and his team are a great example of adopting sustainable practices while continuing to innovate and grow.
“We’ve worked alongside Albamuir for over 15 years now and are delighted to support them in their latest venture.
“It will create a significant boost to green energy production in Forfar and the surrounding areas.”
Conversation