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Project Design

If your feasibility work indicates that the project is viable you will need move into the project design stage. While the feasibility study should provide a lot of the initial information required for design, additional work will be needed to ensure that all impacts are addressed. You should also be thinking about developing a business model during project design to ensure that all costs are accounted for and that the project makes financial sense.

 

Key Things You May Also Need To Consider Include the Following:

 

Planning Permission

Depending on the size of your project you may need to apply for planning permission. The planning authority in your area should be your first point of contact for all applications and enquiries and it is helpful to establish a dialogue prior to making any application. Further information on planning can be found on the Scottish Government’s Microgeneration: planning advice page.

Statutory permission

Begin early discussions with relevant statutory bodies as their permission y be required for your planning application. These will depend on the nature of your project but permissions from organisations such as Scottish Water, SNH, Historic Scotland, SEPA and the H&S Executive are commonly sought.

Environmental Assessment

This may be required to assess impacts on soil, hydrology, wildlife, visual and noise impact, social and economic factors. Bear in mind that these can take time to complete and should be factored in to your project timeline.

Grid Connection

Securing a grid connection for your asset can be a costly process and communities must have as much information and technical detail as possible before requesting this. See our Connecting to the Grid page for more information.

 

LES’ CARES toolkit Planning Module offers a more in-depth look at these issues.

Planning Module By Local Energy Scotland
 

Technology Specific Considerations

 
 

Renewable Electricity

Solar, wind and hydro projects may require you to secure certain permissions and environmental consents from the relevant licencing and planning bodies before you can consider moving into the construction phase. Early engagement in this area is encouraged to ensure a smooth application process.

  • Community scale wind projects will need to consider planning issues such as impact on local heritage (listed buildings and archaeology), noise and visual impact and ecology (particularly birds and bats).
  • Depending on your location, hydro projects will need an abstraction licence from the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), the Environment Agency, Natural Resources Wales or the Northern Ireland Environment Agency, to ensure that there are no undue environmental impacts on the ecosystem of the stream and its surroundings. This licence is usually required to ensure a successful planning application. Click here and here for further details on developing a hydro project.
  • Solar projects don’t generally require planning permission when installed on residential roofs unless the roofs are within conservation areas or listed buildings. Solar installations on non-residential properties or positioned on flat roofs or the ground will need planning approval. Click here and here for further details on developing a solar project.

Renewable Heat

Renewable heat is heat produced from low carbon or renewable sources such as ground, air or water source heat pumps, biomass, waste, anaerobic digestion, solar thermal panels and geothermal technologies.

  • Biomass projects may need to apply for planning permission for the boiler house and will have to arrange contracts with wood fuel suppliers for delivery of woodchip/pellets etc.
  • Heat pumps are most efficient when delivering lower output temperatures. To get the best efficiencies you may need to replace the heat distribution system in your building, which may mean installing underfloor heating or larger-sized radiators.
  • Solar thermal panels in the UK are only really capable of satisfying a building’s hot water needs and do not provide enough for a building’s space heating
 

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