Nettly Burn partners with Knockhill on clean energy, EV and habitat enhancements
Scotland’s national motorsports centre will benefit from cleaner, greener energy if a renewables development that’s proposed for land opposite the centre, gets the go-ahead.
Knockhill Racing Circuit in Fife, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Grupotec who, together with REG Power Developments, are the companies behind the Nettly Burn Renewable Energy Park.
The partnership seeks to collaborate on initiatives to further reduce the carbon footprint and increase the sustainability of the circuit, while supporting its future plans.
Knockhill is committed to increasing its sustainability and already uses lower carbon fuels in its vehicles, low-energy lighting and has two electric vehicle chargers on-site.
The Nettly Burn proposal provides an opportunity to turbo-charge these efforts: initiatives may include on-site solar generation to reduce the circuit’s running costs and carbon footprint while boosting EV charging facilities.
Further environmental activities are also being considered including habitat enhancement, to complement existing woodland that’s been planted at the site.
The c.125-hectare Nettly Burn site is located on land approximately 4.5km north east of Saline in Fife, adjoining the A823, opposite the Knockhill Motor Racing Circuit.
The Nettly Burn Renewable Energy Park would comprise a solar farm on some 80 hectares of land with an installed capacity of up to 80 Megawatts of renewable energy and has an operational life of up to 40 years, alongside battery storage units to store electricity and discharge it when it is most needed.
The site was carefully selected to ensure it complied with technical and environmentally sound criteria; it currently comprises rough and semi-improved grazing land.
Jillian Shedden, Managing Director of Knockhill Racing Circuit, said how pleased the circuit were to have signed a partnership agreement with the developers of the energy park:
“The Nettly Burn solar power development aligns with our commitment to green energy. We anticipate collaborating with REG Power Developments on future projects and look forward to the positive environmental and economic impacts for the local community.”
Speaking about the partnership, Justin Reid, Project Manager for the Nettly Burn project said
“We look forward to working with Knockhill to deliver clean, solar power alongside opportunities for future, green growth at the circuit, as it continues its journey to reduce its carbon and environmental footprint.”
If consented, Nettly Burn Renewable Energy Park will make an important contribution to Scotland’s net zero targets and in particular, the Scotland-specific target for the deployment of solar PV.
The developers are already in discussions with the community – via the host community council - to establish a benefit fund over the planned 40-year life of the project, to be used by local people for local projects and initiatives.
Nettly Burn will also contribute to the local economy, directly - by creating construction-related jobs - and indirectly, in the supply chain and via business rates.
Biodiversity and habitat improvements form an integral part of the proposal, to help improve biodiversity on site and to explore opportunities for peat restoration. New hedgerow planting alongside existing vegetation by the road frontage which will help to screen the development from view.
As a Section 36 project, the application will eventually be determined by Scottish Government with Fife Council as a statutory consultee. The application can be viewed at the project website at www.nettlyburn.com or at www.energyconsents.scot under application reference ECU00006007.