This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Two major new windfarms given green light
06/10/2004
Two new windfarms that will provide up to 118,000 homes
with electricity have today been given the go-ahead.
Turbines will now be built at Braes of Doune near
Dunblane and Farr near Tomatin in the Highlands - creating
local jobs and cutting harmful emissions which contribute
to climate change.
Details on the two new windfarms are:
- Farr windfarm will generate up to
112.5 megawatts of electricity from 40 turbines -
enough clean energy to meet the average electricity
needs for 63,000 homes. Up to 60 jobs will be created
during the construction of the windfarm.
- Braes of Doune will generate up
to 98 megawatts from 49 turbines - enough clean energy
to meet the average electricity needs for 55,000
homes. At peak of construction the site will need 120
workers, 60 of which are likely to be sourced
locally.
Deputy Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning
Allan Wilson said:
"The decision to grant consent to these proposals
followed a lengthy consultation process in each case
designed to ensure they do not come at an unacceptable cost
to the surrounding environment.
"The Executive is committed to promoting renewables in
Scotland. We have set a target to generate 40% of Scottish
electricity generation from renewable sources by 2020 as
part of our commitment to addressing climate change.
"We have stated repeatedly our aim to meet these targets
from a range of renewable sources, and that wind energy
will be just one part of the mix. However, as an existing,
competitive technology, wind energy will clearly be vital
in particular in helping us reach our initial target of 18
per cent of electricity generated in Scotland coming from
renewable sources by 2010."
Mr Wilson said that the environmental benefits of
renewable generation are now widely accepted and more and
more people are beginning to recognise the economic
opportunities this emerging industry presents.
"As well as the jobs involved in building both of these
windfarms, they also add to the scale of development in
Scotland as a whole and thereby increase the opportunities
for fabrication and other support industries. The
development of Scotland's renewable resource creates
tremendous opportunities for Scotland to become a key
player in the emerging renewables industry."
Farr Windfarm was developed by npower Renewable. The
npower business was formally created in October 1999 and
launched in April 2000. It combines the former electricity
and gas supply businesses of MEB, Calortex, MEB Powerline,
National Power Energy Direct and Independent Energy,
Yorkshire Electricity and Northern Electric and Gas. Innogy
was formed in 2001 when National Power demerged into
International Power and Innogy. RWE
* acquired Innogy and the retail brand
npower in May 2002. RWE Innogy was officially renamed RWE
npower on 2nd August 2004. National Wind Power and Innogy
Hydro also came together under the name npower
renewables.
The Braes of Doune windfarm was developed by Airtricity
Developments (Scotland) Limited. Airtricity is one of
Europe's leading fully integrated renewable energy
companies and is focused in three main areas:
· Wind farm development
· Finance and ownership of wind farms
· Green electricity supply
Further information can be found at:
www.airtricity.com
There were four objections against the Braes of Doune
windfarm and 34 against Farr.
Further information on npower renewables can be found
at:
http://www.natwindpower.co.uk/
The Executive announced plans to produce 40% of
Scotland's electricity from renewable sources by 2020 in
March 2003. Further details can be found at:
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/pages/news/2003/03/SEEN408.aspx
The new Deputy Minister for Enterprise, Allan Wilson
will speak during a renewables debate in the Parliament at
3pm this afternoon.