Vattenfall has inaugurated its 240MW South Kyle Wind Farm in Scotland.
The development, located on the border of Ayrshire and Dumfries & Galloway, will be owned by Greencoat UK Wind.
It was inaugurated today at a ceremony attended by Vattenfall chief executive Anna Borg and Greencoat UK Wind’s Laurence Fumagalli. Many of the organisations involved in the construction of the wind farm also attended the event.
Some of the power from the site will supply drinks manufacturer AG Barr, famous for its iconic Irn Bru, after a Corporate Power Purchase Agreement was signed in 2020.
Rather than contracting supply chain businesses on a purely cost basis, local businesses were invited to tender for the many and varied opportunities which come from onshore wind development and construction.
As a result, £44m of the total spend of the project went to nearby firms providing everything from environmental assessments to legal and communications advice to branded high-viz jackets.
An estimated £38m community fund from the wind farm will also support people in the nearby area to take ownership of local buildings, develop tourism and recreation, and strengthen skills and resources to deliver a range of projects in the local community such as the purchase of a hotel and a bike track.
Spending with Scottish businesses totalled £93.4m, including construction contractor RJ McLeod.
Borg said: “South Kyle Wind Farm is an excellent example of investors, national and local authorities, and local communities working together to deliver the infrastructure we need for fossil-free living.”
Scottish Minister for Energy Gillian Martin added: “Scotland is a world leader in onshore wind, and this is in large part thanks to the continued investment of developers such as Vattenfall.
“Projects like South Kyle wind farm are key to helping us deliver on our ambitions for net zero and in creating a lasting legacy for our communities.
“As well as generating cheap, clean energy, it is vital that our energy transition supports a just transition to net zero for everyone, which is why I particularly welcome Vattenfall’s South Kyle Community Fund, which promises to inject £38m of investment into the local community in the 25 years of its operation.”