Scottish Water has completed a new £482,000 solar scheme at Overton water treatment works - the scheme has seen 480 solar panels installed on top of the water tank at the works.

Overton water treatment works supplies thousands of homes in and around Greenock with drinking water.

The project has seen 480 solar panels installed on top of a water tank at the site at Overton which are expected to generate 0.24 GWh of green electricity a year, meeting 17% of the energy used by the treatment works.

It will also save around 47 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent each year, making the treatment process at the site less carbon intensive and helping Scottish Water get closer towards meeting its goal of net zero emissions by 2040.

The project has been led by Scottish Water Horizons, the publicly owned utility’s commercial subsidiary, and delivered by R&A Group.

Scottish Water Horizons Project Manager Brian James said:

“It is great to see this solar scheme in operation, helping to generate green energy at the water treatment works in Overton and reducing the carbon associated with producing fresh clean water for customers in the area.

“We are continuing to deliver solar schemes at Scottish Water sites across Scotland, as we focus on achieving our net zero target by 2040. This is more vital than ever in the face of the increasing impact of climate change on our ability to provide water and waste water services.”

Scottish Water Treatment Senior Op Frank Dixon said:

“Producing and distributing clean water for our customers is a 24/7 operation and as a result uses a lot of energy. This solar scheme will mean 17% of the power we are using now comes from a renewable source, making these essential processes less carbon intensive and supporting our journey towards net zero.”