The National Robotarium

The National Robotarium roof-top Solar PV, located on Heriot-Watt University’s Edinburgh campus, was funded through the Scottish Funding Council’s University Carbon Reduction Fund with £128,000 being provided to facilitate the project.

The National Robotarium is an award-winning centre of excellence in robotics and Artificial Intelligence solutions. Global leaders in robotics and autonomous systems, Heriot-Watt University and the University of Edinburgh, are partners in this international hub.

The purpose-built facility hosts advanced research laboratories with specific environmental control requirements, which are often associated with increased energy consumption.

A large solar array was specified to provide a generous supply of green electricity, providing a carbon reduction benefit, and managing lifetime energy costs. This installation, which features 485 m2 of solar PV panels and 100kW of installed capacity, will contribute significantly to the total power needs of the National Robotarium moving forward.

While UK grid electricity has increasingly decarbonised in recent years, the use of electricity still represents a significant source of Scope 2 emissions. Optimising the overall energy performance of the National Robotarium is critical to its contribution to the University’s net zero transition and to the long-term mitigation of operating costs.

The array will provide around 86,500 kWh of renewable generation to the facility each year, reducing emissions by around 18.25 tonnes and saving around £24,800 in operating costs.