Wind energy is a big deal for energy suppliers. After all, it’s one of the most reliable ways to generate green, clean energy. But while many companies are looking to invest in offshore wind farms – that is wind farms that are out at sea – Scottish Power is looking to invest onshore.
Scottish Power is the UK’s largest generator of wind power, but that isn’t going to stop them from taking that to the next level, reports the FT. According to the FT, Scottish Power has approval to raise its UK onshore wing capacity from 1,600 megawatts to a staggering 2,000 megawatts – a significant increase. Scottish power is proposing for the vast majority of the investment to be spent in Scotland, which is good news for England and Wales, but bad news for the people of Scotland.
Wind power leads the way in Scotland
Wind is the biggest source of renewable energy in Scotland. It’s much more prolific than hydro energy and other forms of renewable energy, and Scottish Power understands this better than any company. The increasing number of wind turbines in Scotland is great news for the environment in the long-term, but it does represent a unique challenge in the short-term – wind farms are unsightly to most people and they are very difficult to blend into the background. When you consider that Scotland is an incredibly scenic country, you would be right to assume that this latest development has caused some concern among the Scottish people.
All of which bothers Scottish Power, of course. They put their wind farms in areas that will have the least impact on the immediate scenery and position them in a way that they maximise energy generation. Compared to Wales, another country which experiences ideal weather for wind farms, Scotland has a high rollout of wind farms.
“We are probably about as good as it gets in terms of the planning environment,” says Mr Anderson of Scottish Power, “The Welsh have talked a lot about doing wind, but we have found that in terms of actual physical action on the ground . . . it is way, way behind what we have in Scotland.”
It remains to be seen just how much of an impact on the immediate environment Scottish power’s new wind farms will have. But one thing is for sure – Scottish Power, who can be contacted on 0843 770 5075, are on the right track to creating clean, green renewable energy for all of the UK and particularly Scotland to enjoy.