More than 600 solar panels have been installed on land at Forfar Wastewater Treatment Works, meaning the Scottish Water site now draws a portion of its power from renewable energy.

The 631 ground-mounted panels are expected to generate around 0.23 GWh a year, providing 18.5% of the facility's electricity demand.

The scheme is designed to cut running costs, bolster resilience against swings in grid electricity prices and advance Scottish Water's programme to reduce carbon emissions.

Using onsite generation is projected to avoid about 63 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent annually — comparable to 35 return flights between Aberdeen and New York.

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The initiative was led by Scottish Water Horizons, the commercial subsidiary of Scottish Water, with delivery by OCS Energy Services.

Scottish Water Horizons Project Manager Natalya Hendricks said: "It is great to see this project completed at Forfar Wastewater Treatment Works, helping to reduce operating costs at the site and adding a layer of energy resilience to the works. By generating more of our own power onsite, we are better protected from energy fluctuations, while also reducing carbon emissions."

Scottish Water Operational Team Leader Barry Mason said: "The wastewater treatment works here in Forfar provides a vital service to thousands of customers and it is really positive that the site will now be producing and making use of its own renewable energy for years to come."

Graeme Hamilton, Managing Director - Energy, OCS, said: "Reliable energy sits at the heart of effective site operations. Working with Scottish Water Horizons and Scottish Water, this project in Forfar shows how onsite generation can strengthen resilience, give teams greater control over energy use, and support more stable operating costs, while reducing carbon emissions."