Greens claim Highland Council only switched on the Victorian Market’s solar panels after 11 years disputed as local authority says the panels were always in use
Green claims Highland Council only switched on solar PV panels on the Victorian Market – 11 years after they were installed but the local authority challenged that version of events.
Earlier, MSP Ariane Burgess “hailed” the work of Greens councillors who she said had worked to ensure “that most of Highland Council’s solar PV panels have at last been switched on”.
However, in a statement the council indicated that was not true, saying: “The Council can confirm that all solar PV systems installed across its estate were fully operational from their respective installation dates through to 2022”.
At that point routine inspections led to the need for upgrades to operate safely.
Speaking before the council issued its statement Aird and Loch Ness Green Councillor Chris Ballance took aim not just at the local authority but also at the leadership through the years.
He said “It’s unbelievable that for ten years no-one in successive administrations asked the right questions, or demanded solutions, or even seemed to notice the panels hadn’t been switched on.
“It was just over a year ago that someone mentioned this in passing in a meeting, so I started to ask questions and press for answers.
“I’m delighted to say that it’s been confirmed to me this week that the PV panels installed on Inverness’ Victorian Market are now generating electricity to be used in the market. But they should have been doing this for ten years.
“From what I can discover, our insurance company asked for a maintenance plan before it would insure them. And for ten years no-one got round to producing such a plan.
“I commend the current officers for resolving the issue promptly, once questions were asked. But why weren’t the questions asked ten years ago? This has cost the council and the Inverness Common Good Fund hundreds of thousands of pounds”.
His colleague Fort William and Ardnamurchan Cllr Kate Willis and vice chair of the climate change committee, said it was disappointing to learn that of the council’s 114 PV installations, it is unclear how many are actually operational.
She said: “A report to the climate change committee on January 29 reveals that of the 54 PV systems that the council inspected, 32 are now operational, 18 were in need of maintenance before being switched on and four systems, when visited, were discovered not to be present anymore.
“There’s still more to be done – the council has 2.63 MW of solar generating capacity, but only 78% of that has so far been made operational.”
A spokeswoman for the local authority said: “The Highland Council wishes to address recent suggestions regarding the operational status of solar photovoltaic (PV) installations within its estate.
“The Council can confirm that all solar PV systems installed across its estate were fully operational from their respective installation dates through to 2022.
“During routine inspections, a number of systems were identified as potentially requiring upgrades to maintain safe operation. In line with our commitment to safety and efficiency, the decision was made to temporarily isolate these systems while a full evaluation of the required works was undertaken.
“In early 2024, the Council’s Energy Team initiated a comprehensive review of all solar PV installations across its estate. Given the geographic spread and scale of these assets, this has been a complex and time-intensive process.
“Despite the challenges, we are pleased to report that 80% of the Council’s solar generation assets are currently operational. Work is ongoing to bring the remaining systems back online, and we are on track to ensure all installed assets are fully operational by the end of March 2025.
“Highland Council continues to develop new renewable energy assets and sees self-generation as a key contributor to our Net Zero ambitions. Solar PV installations play a vital role in reducing the Council’s carbon footprint, supporting the region’s energy resilience, and demonstrating leadership in sustainable energy practices.
“We remain committed to maximising the potential of our solar PV assets while developing new opportunities for renewable energy generation across our estate.”
