Wind News

Wednesday 13 August 2008

Des Browne MP, Secretary of State for Scotland, with Andrew Jamieson, Regulation Director ScottishPower Renewables

ScottishPower has started work on a multi-million pound visitor centre that they hope will transform the largest on-shore wind farm in the UK into a tourist destination.

The centre at the Whitelee Wind Farm, 12 miles south of Glasgow, will be the first of its kind in the UK and will include a detailed exhibition explaining the construction of the £300 million wind farm.

It will also include an education hub where trained staff will be able to teach visitors about the operation of wind farms and about renewable energy.

To mark the start of construction, Secretary of State for Scotland Des Browne MP joined developers ScottishPower Renewables for a celebratory turf-cutting ceremony on Friday.

The new visitor centre forms part of a wider programme seeking to open the Whitelee Forest and Eaglesham Moor area to public access. Around 82km of roads and tracks have been built in order to construct the 140 wind turbines that are to be built at Whitelee, 55 of which have been completed so far.

Roads

On completion of the project, the roads and tracks will be opened up to cyclists and ramblers who will be able to enjoy the wildlife that forms park of the 25.5km² habitat management areas.

Andrew Jamieson, regulation director at ScottishPower Renewables, said: “We want to encourage people to come and see the wind farm in operation and to learn about renewable energy. We have welcomed over 6,000 people to recent open days at Black Law wind farm, so we know that people have a genuine interest in wind power.”

Currently, the wind farm has 55 turbines already constructed and connected to the grid. The 140 turbines already consented would generate a total of 322MW - enough energy for the equivalent of 180,000 homes.

ScottishPower is opening up the access roads around the Whitelee Wind Farm to cyclists and hikers

The wind farm, which will be the largest in the UK when all 140 turbines are completed in the summer of 2009, could become even larger if a new planning application is approved.

Back in April, ScottishPower submitted a Section 36 application to the Scottish Government seeking an extension by a further 36 turbines. The extra turbines would take the total power output up to 452 MW.

Des Browne offered his support to the wind farm visitor centre, saying: "Everyone will have a role to play in supporting a move to more sustainable energy production and consumption. I’m sure many Scots will visit and go home both impressed and a little better informed about the part wind power plays in their own lives."

ScottishPower Renewables are also planning to introduce eco-friendly buses powered by electricity generated from the turbines, that visitors can use to take tours of the site. Other planned facilities include retail and catering areas, as well as externally accessed showers for cyclists and runners.