SCOTTISH Water has unveiled its single biggest ever investment in solar energy projects as it seeks to drive down carbon emissions and costs a sites across Scotland.

The utility has pledged to spend £9 million in solar projects at assets around the country over the next three years through its Scottish Water Horizons subsidiary, having appointed four contractors to develop, design and install solar panels at the sites.

The work will be carried out by Absolute Solar & Wind, FES, Saliis and Styles & Wood, which emerged after Scottish Water Horizons received 17 bids and 45 expressions of interest during the tender process.

Scottish Water Horizons said the work will initially take place over one year, followed by two one-year extensions, in order to take advantage of falling technology costs and limit exposure to uncertainty in the PV (photovoltaic) market.

Andrew Macdonald, head of Scottish Water Horizons, declared that the investment highlights its “commitment to reducing energy costs and ultimately keeping bills as low as possible for customers”.

Mr Macdonald said: “Through use of technologies such as solar panels, several of our water works can now generate at least all – and in some cases more – of the energy they need to operate.

“Not only does this benefit Scottish Water but it contributes to national renewable energy targets.

“We’re pleased to be working with experts in the sector to improve our provision of renewable energy and help maintain Scottish Water’s place as one of the best value providers of water in the UK.”

Scottish Water said it has reduced its base electricity consumption by more than five per cent since 2010 because of work undertaken by its Scottish Water Horizons division.

It added that its total carbon emissions have dropped by 18 per cent since 2006/07, while its renewable energy has doubled to more than 50 GWH (gigawatt hours), the equivalent of powering 50 million washing machines, since 2013.

The utility produces electricity through 26 hydro turbine sites, 18 wind-powered sites and two biomass plants. It also generates sufficient bio-gas to power 2,000 homes through a Scottish Water Horizons-owned food waste recycling plant near Cumbernauld.