Clyde Wind Farm
Encyclopedia
The Clyde Wind Farm is a 548 megawatt (MW) wind farm
under construction near Abington
in South Lanarkshire
, Scotland
. When completed, it will be Europe's largest onshore wind farm. The 152-turbine project by Scottish and Southern Energy, which was approved by the Scottish Parliament
in July 2008, capable of powering 320,000 homes, and will be larger than the 322 MW Whitelee Wind Farm
near Glasgow. Turbines will be built either side of the M74 motorway
. Construction of the wind farm, which is budgeted for £600 million, started in early 2009 and expected to finish in 2012.
Welcon Towers Ltd has won the contract to supply the towers for all 152 turbines for the £500 million Clyde Wind Farm. Jesper Øhlenschlæger, chief executive officer of Welcon Towers parent company Skykon, said: ‘The Clyde project is a very important business win for our Campbeltown manufacturing. Scotland has become the most positive and the most interesting renewable wind power market in Europe. The Clyde Wind Farm project represents a landmark phase in Scotland’s renewable energy strategy.’
Wind farm
A wind farm is a group of wind turbines in the same location used to produce electric power. A large wind farm may consist of several hundred individual wind turbines, and cover an extended area of hundreds of square miles, but the land between the turbines may be used for agricultural or other...
under construction near Abington
Abington, South Lanarkshire
Abington is a village in the Scottish council region of South Lanarkshire,close to the M74 motorway, marking the point where it changes name to the A74, following the upgrade of the former A74 road. The West Coast Main Line between Glasgow and London also emerges from the Clyde Valley at this...
in South Lanarkshire
South Lanarkshire
South Lanarkshire is one of 32 unitary council areas of Scotland, covering the southern part of the former county of Lanarkshire. It borders the south-east of the city of Glasgow and contains many of Glasgow's suburbs, commuter towns and smaller villages....
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. When completed, it will be Europe's largest onshore wind farm. The 152-turbine project by Scottish and Southern Energy, which was approved by the Scottish Parliament
Scottish Parliament
The Scottish Parliament is the devolved national, unicameral legislature of Scotland, located in the Holyrood area of the capital, Edinburgh. The Parliament, informally referred to as "Holyrood", is a democratically elected body comprising 129 members known as Members of the Scottish Parliament...
in July 2008, capable of powering 320,000 homes, and will be larger than the 322 MW Whitelee Wind Farm
Whitelee Wind Farm
Whitelee Wind Farm is the largest wind farm in Europe, with 140 Siemens wind turbines and a total capacity of 322 megawatts . Whitelee was developed and is operated by ScottishPower Renewables, which is part of the Spanish company Iberdrola. Whitelee Wind Farm has a 75 turbine extension under...
near Glasgow. Turbines will be built either side of the M74 motorway
M74 motorway
The A74 and M74 motorways form a major motorway in Scotland. Following an extension opened on 28 June 2011, it connects the M8 motorway west of Glasgow to the English border at Gretna, creating an alternative route for traffic moving from the south to the west of the city...
. Construction of the wind farm, which is budgeted for £600 million, started in early 2009 and expected to finish in 2012.
Welcon Towers Ltd has won the contract to supply the towers for all 152 turbines for the £500 million Clyde Wind Farm. Jesper Øhlenschlæger, chief executive officer of Welcon Towers parent company Skykon, said: ‘The Clyde project is a very important business win for our Campbeltown manufacturing. Scotland has become the most positive and the most interesting renewable wind power market in Europe. The Clyde Wind Farm project represents a landmark phase in Scotland’s renewable energy strategy.’