A huge wind farm in East Ayrshire – which will power over 187,000 homes and help produce Irn Bru – has officially opened.
South Kyle Wind Farm, located on the border of Ayrshire and Dumfries & Galloway, was inaugurated yesterday at a ceremony welcoming energy bosses, politicians and those involved with the build.
Developed and constructed by Vattenfall, the site near Dalmellington will generate enough clean electricity to power the equivalent of over 187,000 homes annually, as well as support power usage at drinks manufacturer A.G. Barr – home to Scotland’s ‘other’ national drink, Irn Bru.
Throughout the development and construction phases, Vattenfall was keen to ensure as much investment as possible into the local and wider Scottish economies.
And as a result, £44 million 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.
In addition, an estimated £38m community fund from the wind farm will 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 R.J. McLeod.
And some of the power from the site will supply drinks manufacturer A.G. Barr – famous for its iconic Irn Bru – after a corporate power purchase agreement was signed in 2020.
A total of 22GWh per year from Vattenfall’s wind farms in the UK will go to AG Barr facilities, including its factory in Cumbernauld, North Lanarkshire. This is the equivalent electricity used by 6,000 UK homes annually.
South Kyle Wind Farm was inaugurated at a ceremony attended by Vattenfall’s chief executive officer, Anna Borg, and Laurence Fumagalli of Greencoat UK Wind, who will own the wind farm.
Many of the organisations involved in the construction of the wind farm also attended the ceremony.
CEO Ms Borg said: “Onshore wind is essential to energy security, reducing carbon emissions, and economic development.
“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.”
Gillian Martin, Scottish minister for energy, said: “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.”
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