ScottishPower Renewables Opens Clachan Flats Wind farm

The wind farm consists of nine wind turbines that can produce up to 15 MW of electricity – enough clean wind energy to power over 8,500 households.

Part of SPR’s continued voluntary commitment to the communities surrounding Clachan Flats, is the creation of a new community trust fund, administered by the Clachan Flats Wind farm Trust in Cairndow and the Inveraray Community Council, with the remit of supporting local projects and organisations.  Nearly £15,000 will by invested by SPR in this fund each year for the 25-year life of the wind farm.

Susan Deacon, ScottishPower Renewables Chairman, said: "Clachan Flats is an excellent location for a wind power plant and will make a significant contribution to our expanding wind energy operations as well as helping Scotland to achieve its ambitious green energy targets. The wind farm will be producing clean, green energy for at least the next 25 years and we hope that its presence will have a positive impact on the local community.

“We were delighted to be joined today by John Swinney MSP, The Duke of Argyll and other members of the community. I hope that their close-up view of the project was beneficial and helped to illustrate the way in which the wind farm operates.”

John Swinney MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth, said: “It is great news that the Clachan Flats is being officially opened today. This project is yet another example of how wind farms can have a number of benefits – globally, nationally and locally. Such developments will help us achieve our world leading climate change targets by providing households across Scotland with very low carbon energy from Scotland’s own vast natural renewable resources.

“Wind farms like Clachan Flats also provide significant investment and work associated with the construction for the local and national economy. And crucially, as is happening at Clachan, they generate a community benefit fund for projects to improve life in the local community and promote sustainability.”

Also in attendance at the opening ceremony were Xabier Viteri, Chief Executive Officer of Iberdrola Renovables, SPR’s parent company, and Keith Anderson, Managing Director of SPR.

Clachan Flats becomes ScottishPower Renewables’ 23rd operational wind farm in the UK and further confirms ScottishPower Renewables as the leading operator of onshore wind, with over 800 MW of operational wind and over 1000 MW consented, in construction or in planning.

 ScottishPower Renewables is part of Iberdrola Renovables, the largest wind energy company in the world with an installed capacity of close to 11,000 MW at the end of 2009, and a pipeline of over 57,400 MW. ScottishPower Renewables had over 800 MW of installed capacity at the end of 2009, and a pipeline of 5,115 MW. Iberdrola Renovables has a presence in 23 countries around the world.

The company is already the largest developer and generator of on-shore wind energy in the UK, with Europe’s largest wind farm at Whitelee which was completed in May 2009.

www.scottishpowerrenewables.com