Anticipated go-ahead from Fife Council will see drinks maker Diageo construct a huge solar farm.

The 12,000 panels will be incorporated into unused land next to the company’s packing plant in Leven.

The solar farm is part of the drinks group’s plan to achieve net zero carbon emissions from its direct operations by 2030. The panels are expected to produce 4MW of electricity for the plant, which produces 40 million cases of spirits each year.

The Johnnie Walker, Bell’s and Gordon’s maker has already reduced half of the carbon in its operations, meaning it’s well on track to harnessing 100% renewable energy everywhere it operates.

The company has also committed to partnering with suppliers to halve indirect carbon emissions. In Scotland alone, three of the company’s Scotch whisky distilleries – Oban, Royal Lochnagar and Brora – have already achieved net zero carbon emissions.

Diageo has solar panels at other sites, but this would be its first solar project of this scale.

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Although covering an extensive area, the solar farm is entirely within the existing footprint of the Leven packaging plant site and is planned to ensure a minimal visual and environmental impact on the surrounding area.

Gavin Brogan, operations director at Leven, said: “We have been on the journey to environmental sustainability at Leven for many years and we have made great progress, but this solar array would take us to another level, allowing us to generate our own renewable energy on-site and contributing to Diageo’s global ambition to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2030.

“We have planned this carefully and we are happy to engage our neighbours and local stakeholders during the planning application process”, he adds.