by Press Association
A wind farm based on the outskirts of Glasgow has been hailed as a
“national success story” – a decade on from its official opening.
Whitelee wind farm, the largest onshore wind project in the UK, had been
set up to significantly boost the number of homes in Scotland powered by
renewable energy.
It began generating electricity in January 2008 and was officially
connected to the National Grid a year later, in May 2009.
On Friday, a report was published into the economic, environmental and
social benefits of the wind farm.
The report notes that the wind farm has generated enough clean, green
energy to provide almost 90% of total annual household electricity consumed
by Scottish households and businesses.
It also highlighted that the wind farm is expected to provide a boost to
the UK economy of more than £1 billion, with over £790 million in Scotland.
The wind farm is also found to have supported more than 4,000 jobs during
its peak years of construction while sustaining around 600 jobs each year
through its operation and maintenance.
Enough C02 is also saved by the wind farm, the report notes, that it is the
equivalent of offsetting two days worth of domestic flights to and from
Gatwick Airport.
The Scottish Government has declared a climate emergency and has set out
targets for the country to be net zero by 2045. It is set five years ahead
of the UK Government’s target of net zero by 2050.
Lindsay McQuade, of ScottishPower Renewables (which owns and operates the
wind farm along with almost 40 others around the UK), said efforts to
achieve Scotland’s environmental targets can be achieved through working
with industry and are underpinned through legislation.
“We know that renewable energy generation needs to quadruple if we are to
deliver on net zero,” said Ms McQuade
“We also know that onshore wind is the cheapest form of green energy and
therefore should be part of Scotland, and the UK’s, low carbon,
cost-effective electricity system.
“If we are to meet the target of net zero by 2050, our ambition has to be
backed by political will and underpinned by legislation.
“Since the passing of the Climate Change Act in 2008, a number of
progressive policy measures have been put in place that has enabled
Scotland to become coal-free.
“Working with industry and government, the same approach is now needed to
ensure we can continue to invest in much-needed renewable generation and
thereby achieve this objective, and support action to tackle the climate
emergency facing us.”
Ms McQuade added: “Whitelee is a great example of what effective policy can
deliver. It’s a national success story.
“Every year it produces the equivalent clean energy to power each and every
electric vehicle currently in the UK, preventing over five million tonnes
of carbon emissions had this energy come from fossil fuels.
“The decarbonisation of our economy, transport and heating systems can all
be achieved through existing technology, but that has to include onshore
wind if we are to decarbonise by 2050.”
A UK Government spokeswoman said: “We lead the world in tackling climate
change, being the first country to introduce long-term legally-binding
carbon reduction targets and cutting emissions further than all other G20
countries.
“The Committee on Climate Change’s report, commissioned by the Government,
now sets us on a path to become the first major economy to legislate to end
our contribution to global warming entirely and we will respond in a
timeframe which reflects the urgency of the issue.”
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