The Renewable Energy Fund has awarded £9,066 towards the overall £19,811 needed to install a 10kWh ground-mounted solar photo-voltaic system at the popular local airfield just outside the town.

And with the 14kW battery storage, the project has been identified by Zero Waste Scotland as the way to make airfield operations - other than aircraft - carbon neutral.

The airfield also hopes that the move to harness green energy will encourage other small airfields around the country to follow suit.

The PV system will reduce CO2 output by 1.9 tonnes with the move to electric mowers making an increased CO2 saving of 5.1 tonnes annually.

Colin MacKinnon, the Secretary of the not-for-profit airfield, said: “By not using conventional grass-cutting equipment we have become the first UK airfield to use a robotic electric mower.

“Not only does this help us cut the maintenance costs of keeping the runway operating safely, it allows us to highlight to other airfields that green technologies really can work well for them whilst helping to work towards their carbon neutral goals.

“All the lighting on site are now LED which again keeps electricity usage down with our bills down more than 20% compared to the same time last year.

“And with electric vehicle charging points our customers can also charge their vehicles, again helping us head towards our goal of Net Zero for the airfield. And we are also building a flight-simulator which can be used for flight training, further reducing the amount of time our customers need to be in the air using fuel unnecessarily.

”However, with recent developments in Europe with electric powered planes being able to fly for 40 to 45 minutes we really are hoping to reduce our energy consumption and environmental impact as a whole in the years to come.”

Colin applied for the funding from the Banks Renewables Windfarm Fund as part of its commitment to the economy and communities within a 10km radius of Middle Muir Windfarm development in Crawfordjohn and 10km radius of Kype Muir Windfarm development in Strathaven.

Robin Winstanley, sustainability and external affairs manager, Banks Renewables, said: “We are delighted to see our community benefit funding through REF reach projects like this one.

“This is a shining example of how renewables can not only help Scotland lead the world on climate action, but help local communities do the same and save money in the process too.

“Working together with local communities and South Lanarkshire Council, we want to encourage more to apply to the REF funds to do the same.’

And the council, which administers the Renewable Energy Fund, was delighted to assist with the PV and battery project as it will help build a stronger airfield community which apart from the everyday activities associated with flying, is also a real community hub with many people using the pathways around the air strip for walking, cycling and dog-walking.

Councillor John Anderson, the chair of the council’s Community and Enterprise Resources Committee, said: “This project will provide a real boost for the community of Strathaven, promoting sustainability in leisure aviation locally and across the country.

“It is also a great way to demonstrate how money generated from a renewable source can be further used to generate green energy and sustainability through another renewable source – wind and sunshine working together to harness the real possibilities of achieving net zero on the airfield and beyond.”

The renewable energy fund comes from renewable energy developments across South Lanarkshire which helps communities within 10km of participating windfarms. Since 2004, the council has made grant awards of more than £4.7m from the REF. For more information on the fund and how to apply please go to our Renewable Energy Fund Grants page.