New funding to expand Scottish wind energy

Scottish wind energy developer e-Gen has announced details of a £50m scheme that aims to increase the number of small-scale wind projects in the country.

The funding package, agreed with Rockfield Energy Investments, will be focused towards the development, construction and operation of projects in the 500kW to 1500kW band.

“Our offering to landowners is to add value to their properties at no cost or risk to themselves,” e-Gen chief executive Tom Forsyth said.

“We are using top quality turbines with lower hub heights and with only one or two turbines per site, the projects are less intrusive and more in keeping with the landscape than large windfarms.”

Scotland has ambitious plans to expand its renewable energy generation over the next few years. First Minister Alex Salmond today (28 September) forecast that by 2025 the country would be producing enough renewable electricity to meet its entire demand.

“Scotland has unrivalled green energy resources and our new national target to generate 80% of electricity needs from renewables by 2020 will be exceeded by delivering current plans for wind, wave and tidal generation,” he told the Scottish Low Carbon Investment conference in Edinburgh.