Council’s solar farm plans gather momentum

North Ayrshire Council’s plans for a solar farm at Nethermains on the outskirts of Kilwinning have taken a step closer with the publication of the tender specification for the design and installation of the facility.

The construction of a solar farm in North Ayrshire could have positive consequences for the entire council area as, once completed, the farm could potentially generate around 34 per cent of the council’s energy needs and provide a financial surplus of around £13million that can be reinvested in North Ayrshire.

The plans are moving at pace and once the bid evaluation process and the outcome is finalised later this summer, construction could get under way within the year.

Yvonne Baulk, head of service (physical environment), said: ‘We are very excited by the plans to transform what is currently a vacant, former landfill site into a state-of-theart facility providing clean energy and reducing our carbon emissions. In the last few years, we have taken great strides as a council to lead by example in efforts to curb climate change and have reduced our own carbon emissions by more than 28 per cent through a wide range of carbon reduction projects.

‘We have set our own ambitious target of having net-zero carbon emissions by 2030 – we all have a part to play, and we absolutely intend to fulfil ours.’

As well as the Nethermains solar farm, North Ayrshire Council is also considering the viability of developing a second facility at Shewalton, near Irvine, and are working with colleagues at Strathclyde University to develop the plans.