More than £200m of contracts will be placed with businesses in Scotland for the development of the Clyde wind farm, it has been announced.
This includes an order in excess of £10m for Welcon Towers at Machrihanish to supply turbine towers.
First Minister Alex Salmond today observed preparatory works for the development, Europe's largest single consented wind farm, which is being developed near Abington by Scottish and Southern Energy.
The £500m Clyde wind farm development has consent to build 152 turbines which will be able to power over 200,000 homes, becoming the largest windfarm in Europe on completion.
Airtricity, the renewable development division of Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE), announced today that over £200m of the total £500m investment will be placed with businesses in Scotland. This includes plans for Siemens, the preferred turbine supplier, to place an order in excess of £10m for the manufacture and assembly of wind turbine towers at the recently announced Welcon Towers facility at Machrihanish, helping to secure 100 jobs at the yard.
The visit to Clyde wind farm coincides with the start of the Scottish Renewables Festival which takes place on sites across the country this weekend marking Scotland's natural advantage in the development of clean, green energy.
The First Minister said: "The sheer scale of the Clyde wind farm reflects Scotland's ambition and ability to become the clean, green energy capital of Europe.
"The development of Europe's largest single consented on-shore wind farm in South Lanarkshire reinforces the Scottish Government's commitment to reduce harmful emissions while capitalising on the vast opportunities renewable energy presents."
Colin Hood, Chief Operating Officer for SSE, said: "Clyde is a nationally-important wind farm and I'm delighted that the First Minister is here today to see for himself the site and the pre-construction works we are now starting. We have major investment plans for renewable energy, and we hope that as many businesses as possible in Scotland will benefit from them."
Jesper Øhlenschlæger, CEO of Skykon A/S added: "Welcon Towers Ltd, a Skycon company, is really delighted to be the tower supplier for the Clyde project from its factory in Campbeltown and looks forward to seeing yet another step forward for renewable energy and sustainable economic development."
There is now almost 6 Gigawatts of renewables capacity installed, consented or under construction around Scotland. That takes it beyond the governments interim target of meeting 31% of Scotland's electricity demand from renewables by 2011.
(GK/JM)
Time and date
CONSTRUCTION DIRECTORY
Latest Construction News
26/11/2024
Scottish Water has unveiled its largest-ever procurement initiative, aiming to modernise the nation's water and wastewater infrastructure while safeguarding the environment. The program, named Delivery Vehicle 4, is valued between £5 billion and £9 billion and is set to run from 2027 to 2033, with ...
26/11/2024
The City of Edinburgh Council has granted planning permission, subject to conditions, for the refurbishment of Calton Square, an office building currently occupied by Baillie Gifford until the end of December 2025. Promoted by Ardstone Capital on behalf of Manova Partners, the project aims to ...
26/11/2024
First Minister John Swinney, MSP for Perthshire North, praised the progress being made on the construction of the new Perth High School during a visit on Friday, 22 November. He was joined by Jim Fairlie, MSP for Perthshire South and Kinross-shire, alongside senior Perth and Kinross Councillors, ...
26/11/2024
A state-of-the-art playpark has officially opened at King George V Park in Bearsden, following the completion of a £100,000 refurbishment. Funded by a combination of East Dunbartonshire Council (EDC) Capital Funding and the Scottish Government’s Renewing Scotland’s Play Parks initiative, the ...
26/11/2024
Fife Council has launched a public consultation, inviting residents, businesses, and organizations to contribute ideas and propose sites for inclusion in the next Local Development Plan, known as Fife's Place Plan. The council is calling on community councils, landowners, and developers to share ...
26/11/2024
The Chief Executive of East Lothian Council has announced she is to retire in February 2025. Monica Patterson who has been Chief Executive for almost five years, has spent most of her professional career working in local government. Prior to joining East Lothian Council in 2010, she was Head of ...
25/11/2024
West of Scotland Housing Association (WSHA) and Connect Modular have jointly submitted a planning application to Glasgow City Council for the development of 33 affordable homes in Cowlairs. This project aligns with the wider Cowlairs Park regeneration scheme and the city's ambitious housing ...
25/11/2024
Arc-Tech (Scotland) has successfully completed a £6m Mechanical and Electrical (M&E) services package for the Lost Shore Surf Resort in Edinburgh. The state-of-the-art resort, which opened its doors earlier this month, features a range of amenities, including a wave pool, luxury lodges, and ...
25/11/2024
Scottish Water has successfully completed the construction of a groundbreaking hydro energy generation scheme at Whiteadder Reservoir in East Lothian. This innovative project, believed to be the first of its kind in Europe, will harness the power of water to offset a significant portion of the ...
25/11/2024
Work is set to commence on a £6.5 million project to upgrade the Double Dykes Gypsy/Traveller site near Perth. The initiative aims to replace outdated chalets with modern, energy-efficient accommodation and implement significant site improvements. Perth & Kinross Council secured £3.9 million from ...