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Glenmore Visitor Centre Resilience Hub: Solar PV and Battery Storage

Proposal code: THC-2026-04-111

Community-owned Glenmore Visitor Centre seeks support for solar PV and battery storage to strengthen local resilience, reduce running costs and support Glenmore as a practical resilience hub

1. What do you want to do? Aviemore & Glenmore Community Trust (AGCT) is seeking support to install solar PV and battery storage at Glenmore Visitor Centre as part of a wider ambition to develop the site as a practical resilience hub.

The core project is to install solar panels across three roof areas of Glenmore Visitor Centre together with two batteries, based on an initial quote of approximately £47,000. This would reduce operating costs, improve the building’s sustainability and strengthen its resilience during periods of power disruption or wider emergency.

This project is not simply about energy efficiency. It is about ensuring that Glenmore has a stronger, more resilient community asset in a location where resilience matters. Solar PV and battery storage would help make the Visitor Centre more robust, more sustainable and better able to provide practical support during disruption, including acting as a local base for communications, coordination and community support where appropriate.

2. Why is your project important for your community? Glenmore Visitor Centre is a community-owned building with an important role in the area. It is used by the local community more widely, as well as by the many visitors who come to Glenmore throughout the year. Since coming into community ownership, it has become an important local asset and gateway building.

However, Glenmore also faces very particular challenges. It is a small resident community in a rural location with a single access road. In periods of severe weather, wildfire risk, power outage or other disruption, that creates real vulnerability. While the Visitor Centre serves a wider public role, the resilience hub aspect of this project would bring a particularly direct benefit to the resident Glenmore community.

AGCT wants community ownership of Glenmore Visitor Centre to deliver direct practical benefit to Glenmore residents, not only in day-to-day use but in the building’s ability to support people when conditions become more difficult. There is increasing awareness of wildfire risk across the area, alongside the wider challenges facing rural communities in relation to infrastructure, power resilience and climate adaptation. This makes the need for action in Glenmore increasingly important.

3. How does your project align with your Area Place Plan? The project aligns with wider priorities around community resilience, climate adaptation, sustainable infrastructure and strengthening community-owned assets. It reflects the importance of supporting practical resilience in rural communities facing increasing environmental and infrastructure challenges.

Glenmore Visitor Centre is an important local base and gateway building. Investing in its resilience would support both its day-to-day role and its potential value during periods of disruption.

4. What positive impact will your project have? The project would have several positive impacts. It would strengthen Glenmore Visitor Centre as a resilient, community-owned asset; provide direct resilience benefit to the resident Glenmore community; improve preparedness in a location with a single access road and known environmental risk; reduce electricity costs; support carbon reduction; and improve the building’s ability to provide a practical local base for communications, coordination and community support during disruption or emergency response, where appropriate.

Overall, this project is both a practical building improvement and a strategic investment in Glenmore’s longer-term resilience.

5. What key milestones have you achieved so far and what will your next steps be? Key milestones achieved so far include community ownership of Glenmore Visitor Centre, substantial refurbishment and improvement works to bring the building back into active use, an initial quote for solar PV and battery storage and early discussions with strategic partners and potential funders.

Next steps are to refine the project scope, obtain further quotes, confirm any necessary consents and continue discussions with potential funders and partners to develop an appropriate blended funding package.

6. Community Engagement & Support Evidenced AGCT’s ownership of Glenmore Visitor Centre reflects a long-standing local ambition to secure greater community benefit in Glenmore. Since taking ownership, the Trust has worked with local partners, public agencies and stakeholders to strengthen the site’s role and public value.

There is increasing recognition of the need for stronger resilience in Glenmore, particularly in relation to wildfire risk, power disruption and the challenges created by the area’s rural location and limited access. AGCT is exploring how the Visitor Centre can play a stronger supportive role for the resident Glenmore community in times of need.

7. Project Plan / Feasibility / Business Case Created The business case for the project is based on two linked outcomes: reducing energy costs and improving the long-term sustainability of the building, while also increasing the resilience and usefulness of the Visitor Centre as a community-owned asset in a vulnerable rural setting.

AGCT sees this as a realistic and proportionate next step in strengthening the building and delivering practical benefit through community ownership.

8. Necessary Consents Obtained Necessary consents have not yet been fully progressed and will be reviewed as the project develops.

9. Quotes Obtained An initial quote has been obtained from RW Bell for approximately £47,000 for solar PV and battery storage. Further quotes will be sought as required as the project progresses.

10. Funding Applications Submitted AGCT is currently developing the project and exploring a blended funding approach, including potential fit with SSEN, Cairngorms Trust, CNPA and Highland Council-related support routes.

11. What is your anticipated start date / end date? Subject to funding, AGCT hopes to develop the project further during 2026, secure an appropriate funding package and move toward delivery as soon as practical thereafter. A more detailed timetable will be developed once scope, consents and funding routes are confirmed.

• Community Hub
• Energy Efficiency
• Environmental Initiatives
• Visitor Infrastructure

• Badenoch & Strathspey