The Scottish Government has given the go-ahead for a new wind farm that will produce 64.6 MW of power to be constructed in the south of the country, it was announced recently.
Fergus Ewing, the Scottish Energy Minister, confirmed that planning consent has been awarded to PNE WIND UK Ltd. to build a 19-turbine facility, which will be located in Kennoxhead, South Lanarkshire.
In a recent press release, the government indicates that the commitment to community energy that PNE has made could provide the area with benefits to the tune of £8 million over the next 25 years.
Referring to the government’s indications, Ewing stated:
“The wind farm in Kennoxhead will bring considerable benefits to the local community as well as having the capacity to power an estimated 30,208 homes,”
Expanding on the topic, he further said:
“I am determined to ensure communities all over Scotland reap the benefit from renewable energy, which will help to reduce climate emissions.”
Alongside providing work during the construction, the Kennoxhead wind farm is also likely to benefit companies that supply the specialist lubricants – like Mobil SHC Gear 220 – needed to keep the turbines running.
Ewing went on to state that decisions over wind farm applications would be made based on both renewable energy and landscape concerns.
This latest announcement follows the news that the electricity output from the wind industry in Scotland increased by more than double during June, in comparison with results published a year ago, although there was a slight reduction on the figures from May.