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Angus solar panel firm Forster Group is set to become one of the largest clean energy fitters in the country following a deal with Scottish Gas.

Forster Group has announced a partnership with the energy giant to install the technology, which generates power from sunlight, in eligible homes across Scotland.

The Brechin-based company already provides solar services to one in five of all new homes in the country.  This new deal would see the firm fit millions of solar panels on new and old homes.

As well as being good for the environment, solar panels can actively reduce energy costs by up to 90% in some cases.

The Forster Group was founded by group chairman John Forster in 1990, originally as a roofing and contracting company.

Today, the business has several divisions, with roofing remaining the largest part of it.

But with work being made to achieve net zero, the company felt the opportunity to get involved with solar panel and power installation in 2010 was a good one.

The group provides new builds with solar panels and batteries, and is also involved in wide-scale retrofitting of panels on older houses, as well as industrial uses like agricultural firms, food and drink manufacturers.

Part of the appeal for solar power is the reduction in cost to consumers using the panels and batteries.

This will appeal to not just those interested in reducing their carbon footprint, but also those hoping to reduce their electricity bills.

He said: “We are on our way, within the next decade, to allow customers to become prosumers.

“They will be able to create electricity for themselves, and also store it for a later date.

“Scottish Gas customers – and hopefully others in due course – will be adopting solar panels to reduce their energy costs.

“New homes will still use a lot of electricity in the future because most will have electric vehicles plugged in on the driveway.

“So they will need solar panels and battery storage to provide additional energy.

“There is a huge growth in the uptake of retrofitting of solar panels and battery storage right now.

“And it is estimated Scotland will require, by 2045, 2.6 million homes to be retrofitted in some shape or form.”