Two wind farms are set to be constructed in South Lanarkshire, Scotland by ScottishPower, both at a cost of about US $183.2m. The first one with a capacity of 165MW will be developed near Douglas, 35 miles south of Glasgow; while the second one will have a capacity of 55MW. These developments will create a clean energy cluster in South Lanarkshire totaling 220MW.
According to Keith Anderson, ScottishPower CEO, Onshore wind is a crucial tool in tackling climate change, and renewable energy is increasingly becoming the backbone of the UK’s power mix. As one of the UK’s leading renewables developers, ScottishPower is committed to investing in a green economic recovery that speeds up progress towards Net-Zero.
The project also includes the repowering of Scotland’s very first commercial wind farm, Hagshaw Hill, which ScottishPower originally took ownership of in 1996. It is expected that the overall project could create 600 peak jobs and 280 long-term jobs.
Also Read: 150MW wind power farm to be constructed in Northern Iowa, US
Fostering green economic recovery after COVID-19
This is the third green energy deal since March for the Iberdrola Group. Last week the company acquired the French renewable energy firm Aalto Power for US $109.2m. This deal secured 118MW of operational onshore wind power in France and a project portfolio of 636MW in various stages of development. In March, Iberdrola also increased its stake in the US $2.6bn Saint-Brieuc offshore wind farm in France, from 70% to 100%, which will have a capacity of 496MW.
Ignacio Galán, ScottishPower Chairman and Iberdrola CEO, said that, as the world begins to emerge from the COVID-19 (coronavirus) crisis, investment in green infrastructure can quickly be delivered, creating jobs and offering immediate economic and environmental benefits. This will help to support the overall recovery at this critical time.
“Globally it is essential that the financial recovery is aligned with climate goals. As today´s announcement demonstrates, companies like ours remain committed to major clean energy investments, fostering quality employment and driving the energy transition forward,” he affirmed.
