Definitely the coolest solar power installation ever has been completed in Scotland. The headquarters of Survey Solutions is pyramid shaped and now covered in solar panels.

The system in Bilston Glen, Loanhead, Edinburgh, was designed, installed and commissioned by Sustainable Renewable Technologies (SRT) who took on the challenge of this mammoth system. Creating a perfect triangle, complete with straight lines out of rectangular solar panels is a huge challenge within itself and many companies had walked away from the job. Putting up the scaffolding to actually start the project was also quite a mission and was described as a ‘work of art.’

While the concept of this design seemed so difficult, the answer that made the installation of ‘perfect triangles’ possible is actually rather simple. The half panels along the edges are actually dummy panels and do not generate electricity. Design and initiative at its best!

The system consists of 193 solar panels totalling 48.25kW’s and should supply around 85% of Survey Solutions electricity needs. The systems is said to benefit the company by around AUD$17 000 and save 36 tonnes of CO2 emissions each year.

Not surprisingly, the solar powered pyramid has been nominated in the “Most Innovative System Design,” category of the Solar Power Portal Awards this year. The awards are made to praise good practice, professionalism, quality, safety and innovation in the UK’s solar industry.

SRT’s Managing Director, Tom King said that the project was his most challenging to date.