A walk on the wild side: the importance of conservation and green energy

As E.ON Next Veloce Racing drivers in a championship like Extreme E, we’re lucky enough to race in the most extraordinary locations and landscapes in the world. However, it’s important to remember that we also share these environments with equally exciting wildlife.

We were thrilled when we found out the 2024 Championship was making a stop in the familiar Dumfries ex-coal mine for the Hydro X Prix, E.ON Next Veloce Racing’s home race. An iconic location such as this was complimented by an equally unique trip to the famous Edinburgh Zoo.

E.ON has installed a new solar panel array at the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland’s (RZSS) Edinburgh Zoo as part of the wildlife conservation charity’s commitment to reduce its carbon footprint by 60% by 2030 and be net zero by 2040.

To see how our trip unfolded and to delve into everything we learned with the park and E.ON UK, watch below!

It is an attraction that is over 100 years old and boasts the title of one of Scotland’s most popular tourist destinations however, there is so much more to Edinburgh Zoo than a family day out. As well as catering for tourists and locals, the zoo is involved in many scientific pursuits, such as captive breeding for release of endangered animals, researching into animal behaviour, and active participation in various conservation programmes around the world.

We had the pleasure of being given a tour of the grounds from Ben Supple, Director of Engagement and Business Development, who showed us some of the earth’s wonders such as the Nubian giraffes, Chilean flamingos and king penguins. He also highlighted that the zoo’s core mission revolves around making sure wildlife is protected, valued and loved which resonated with us as we have seen first-hand what a difference this attitude can make when we’ve taken part in the Extreme E legacy projects.

The animals weren’t the only fascinating thing on the park grounds, Colin Heggie, Project Delivery Manager at E.ON UK, let us explore the ‘Solar Meadow’ which comprised of over 1,500 panels and contributes towards supplying green energy to the park. A field of this size can supply 300-400 homes a year with energy which would save around 8,000 tonnes of CO2.

E.ON and Edinburgh Zoo clearly share similar values when it comes to sustainability and preservation which makes the collaboration on the solar project so successful.

Colin also explained how similar projects have been rolled out all over Scotland, helping the country to aim to reach its sustainability targets. This includes the installation of a battery system on the Isle of Skye which aims to give resiliency to the island and can give them an element of independence from the mainland power.

Together, we can all help take climate action.