New solar panels will help cut carbon emissions

Solar panels which covert sunlight into electricity are to be installed across the University of Stirling’s campus.

The £2.7m project is fully funded by the Scottish Funding Council’s, Financial Transactions fund, helping the University realise the Route to Net Zero Carbon.

Photovoltaic panels will be installed on the Cottrell Building, Campus Central and the Sports Centre, with work expected to be completed by the spring 2025.

The Scottish Funding Council’s Financial Transactions Programme has also provided £1.2m for LED Lighting at the sports pitches and lighting to Pathfoot to replace the existing lighting, as well as £500,000 for air source heat pumps which transfer heat from the outside air to water.

These projects will help the University towards meeting objectives to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2040, and interim targets to reduce carbon emissions by 60% by 2025; 75% by 2030; and 85% by 2035.

Cleaner, greener

Colin McNally, Executive Director of Estates and Campus Services, said: “The University of Stirling is committed to playing its role in addressing the global climate crisis.

“We are at the forefront of efforts to create a cleaner, greener, and fairer world – our researchers are shaping policy and practice in communities locally and globally while, as an institution, we are always working to cut carbon emissions.

“We’ve already reduced our carbon emissions by more than 43% since 2007, but we know we must do more.

“These projects, to install solar panels, LED lighting, and air source heat pumps, are an important step in our journey to net zero.”

Preparatory work on the solar panels project has already begun and the installation is expected to be completed by March 2025.

Disruption to the University community is expected to be minimal during the works. Traffic will be largely unaffected, however, there may be some localised disruption on occasion.

Find out more about what the University of Stirling is doing to be more sustainable here.