Aberdeenshire Council is seeking a contractor to fit solar panels at its headquarters – to generate and potentially sell electricity.
The move was made in the same week the authority put out a tender to companies interested in developing planning applications for four sites it has identified as suitable for wind turbines.
Last month, councillors agreed to spend £76,000 on the first stage of the wind energy project, which could eventually lead to six turbines being built across the region.
Quarries at Newseat, near Strichen, Aikey, near Old Deer, Pitcaple, near Inverurie, and the Rocks of Balmedie have been earmarked for the scheme, which could generate £11.3million for the council over its 20-year lifetime.
But now the council has decided to try to boost its income further, by installing solar panels at its base in Aberdeen’s Westburn Road.
Allan Whyte, head of property for the authority, said: “Aberdeenshire Council is looking to take advantage of the feed-in tariff for the generation and potential sale of renewable electricity by installing photovoltaic panels at Woodhill House.
“The installation will also help contribute towards reducing costs, use of fossil fuels and the emission of carbon dioxide.”
The council’s sustainability sub-committee asked officers to examine the possibility of wind and solar energy.
Plans for the turbines, which could be up to 250ft tall, emerged earlier this year, despite repeated objections from Aberdeenshire residents about the proliferation of masts in the region.
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