A primary school in Aberdeen has welcomed the installation of solar panels in order to help the school reduce its carbon emissions and save money on running costs.
The installation is part of a wider local government scheme, known as Mitigation in Urban Areas: Solutions for Innovative Cities (MUSIC).
Funding for the scheme has been provided by a collaboration between EU Interreg IVB Programme and Aberdeen City Council.
Aberdeen has been keen to reduce its carbon emissions, as the city claims to be one of the most green areas in the UK. It is part of a EU-wide project which will also see Ghent, Ludwigsburg, Montreuil, and Rotterdam aiming to halve emission by 2030.
Furthermore, the Scottish government, led by first minister Alex Salmond has set an ambitious target for the country to achieve a 42 per cent reduction in carbon emissions by 2020.
In addition to cutting the cost of energy bills, the solar panels will help to teach young students about the importance of energy efficiency and alternative fuels. A energy monitoring system has also been installed in the school which details how much the school has saved in terms of money and on their carbon footprint.
Lord Provost George Adam was on hand to officially switch-on the panels, saying he was "pleased" to see the panels on the school, to make Aberdeen an even greener place to live.
"The MUSIC project is a very interesting and important project which will build on knowledge developed not only in Aberdeen, but also in partner cities across Europe, to find ways of making our cities more sustainable," he added.
Project manager for Music Wendy Devall said the panels will not only help to stimulate students at the school, but that it would also encourage the local community to take up the technology.
"All of the MUSIC partner cities are testing out innovative ways to reduce carbon emissions which we can learn from and replicate elsewhere. In Aberdeen this has involved the installation of the photovoltaic panels at Loirston Primary School and the learning this can help to stimulate within the school, the local community, in Aberdeen, and in Europe," she said.