The UK-based wind projects developer, Community Windpower (CWP), has proposed to build a 560 MW wind project in south-west Scotland near the border with England. If approved it could become UK´s largest wind project.
The project involves the development of a 560 MW Scoop Hill wind farm, which, if built will be located on commercial forestry near a motorway in Dumfries and Galloway in south-west Scotland, UK. The facility would consist of around 80 wind turbines with a power rating of 5-7 MW and tip-heights of 200-240 metres. The site could also feature energy storage units and solar photovoltaic facilities. The developer has explained that it is necessary to use turbines with larger tip heights and power ratings to maximise output and create economies of scale to drive down costs after the UK government has withdrawn its support for onshore wind.
CWL is currently conducting preliminary assessments and public consultations in the nearby community for the potential effects of the project. It will then carry out another consultation and further review of the project, before submitting an environmental impact assessment and later a full planning application. CWL is currently consulting with wildlife groups and heritage societies, the initial discussion with the Royal Society for the Preservation of Birds and Scottish Natural Heritage was held already in 2017. CWL stated that the application will be lodged only after "extensive dialogue and consultation with local community and stakeholders". Scottish ministers would need to determine the project’s planning application because the generating capacity of the proposed farm is more than 50MW.
CWL has not yet set a potential commissioning date and has not disclosed how the project would be financed.
A next-generation wind farm, Scoop Hill would make substantial contributions to reducing Scotland’s carbon footprint equivalent to 44 million tonnes of carbon dioxide over the 40-year operational life of the scheme.
Scoop Hill Community Wind Farm will provide a strategic contribution to climate change targets, create hundreds of civil, electrical and engineering jobs in Scotland and contribute GBP 1 billion (USD 1.26 million) to the Dumfries & Galloway and Scottish economy over its operational life.
At the moment CWL´s operational wind power portfolio consists of seven projects in Scotland with a total capacity of 221.25 MW.
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