Solar power slashes college’s carbon ‘hoofprint’

HUGE solar panels have been installed at the Scottish National Equestrian Centre to allow it to cut its carbon “hoofprint”.

The centre, at the Oatridge College estate near Broxburn, will see its demands on the National Grid reduced by 65 per cent and will save 20 tonnes of carbon being pumped into the atmosphere every year. The £140,000 development uses 204 photovoltaic panels and replicates one already on the roof of the college’s main teaching block, which came into service in August last year.

Des Martin, assistant principal for finance and resources at the college and the director of the SNEC, said: “The college board and senior management at Oatridge are committed to reducing our reliance on fossil fuels.

“To that end we have invested £280,000 in two 49.9 kilowatt arrays of solar photovoltaic panels.

“This should substantially reduce energy bills and considerably reduce our carbon footprint.”