. With significant improvements in efficiency and falling technology costs, large scale solar power is one of the cheapest sources of new electricity generation in Scotland, comparable to or cheaper than onshore wind and significantly less expensive than gas or new nuclear power. Scotland's operational solar capacity is around 0.8 GW in 2025, but Scottish Government targets aim to reach 4-6 GW by 2030.
Two of the more common uses for solar power is creating electricity, and hot water: Solar PV captures the photons from the sun’s light through photovoltaic (PV) panels to convert it into electricity and Solar Water Heating which uses tubes or panels to gather solar energy which can be used to heat water. This is then stored in a thermal store or hot water cylinder to provide hot water. A drawback that effects both systems is that the efficiency of the solar system drops during cloudy and rainy days.
Apart from its domestic application the UK has also seen an increase in Solar Farms construction and, as of 2025, there are just under 1300 solar farms in the UK. One of the largest in Scotland is Errol Estate Solar Farm in Perthshire which is a 13 MW facility, generating enough electricity annually to power approximately 3,500 homes.
Arran Community Renewables secured planning consent for the 6 MW Glenkiln Solar Farm near Lamlash in 2025, meeting around a quarter of Arran’s domestic electricity needs. The £5 million project will be Scotland’s largest fully community-owned solar scheme, enabling local investment, supporting a new community benefit fund, and reducing the island’s reliance on fossil fuels.
While many councils support renewable energy schemes, there have been public concerns about the amount of land and water area solar farms are expanding into and their impact on local communities, farming and tourist regions.
Solar panels are made from rare materials like gallium and indium and more common ones such as silicone, aluminium and glass which can be recycled. Scotland will also need to develop an effective system for recycling solar panels at the end of their operational life which can be about 30-40 years.
Using renewable energy such as solar helps reduce dependence on fossil fuels generated electricity in Scotland. If implemented with other renewable energy developments, this will help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Background image for this poster was created by: Andrey Grinkevich on Unsplash
RESEARCH //
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