A wind farm on the border of East Ayrshire and Dumfries and Galloway is set to blow £38 million into the local community.
South Kyle Wind Farm was officially inaugurated earlier this week, after work began on the site last June.
Once fully commissioned, the onshore wind farm’s installed capacity will be 240MW.
Located on the border of Ayrshire and Dumfries and Galloway, the site will aim to generate enough clean electricity to power the equivalent of over 187,000 homes annually.
READ MORE: Fiftieth and final turbine installed at South Kyle Wind Farm
The wind farm is Vattenfall’s largest onshore development in the UK.
Interestingly, the power generated from the wind farm will help in the creation of Irn Bru, via its manufacturer A.G. Barr.
Local businesses were employed to help with the creation of South Kyle.
As a result, £44 million of the total spend of the project went to nearby firms providing everything from environmental assessments to legal and communications advice to branded high-viz jackets.
In addition, an estimated £38 million community fund from the wind farm will support people in the nearby area over the course of 25 years.
This support will help people to take ownership of local buildings, develop tourism and recreation, and strengthen skills and resources to deliver a range of projects in the local community such as the purchase of a hotel and a bike track.
Speaking at the inauguration event at South Kyle, Vattenfall’s chief executive officer Anna Borg said: “Onshore wind is essential to energy security, reducing carbon emissions, and economic development.
"Vattenfall has a strong pipeline of onshore wind projects in Scotland, reflecting our confidence that it is a stable environment for ongoing investment.
“South Kyle Wind Farm is an excellent example of investors, national and local authorities, and local communities working together to deliver the infrastructure we need for fossil-free living.”
Scottish minister for energy Gillian Martin added: “Scotland is a world leader in onshore wind, and this is in large part thanks to the continued investment of developers such as Vattenfall.
"Projects like South Kyle wind farm are key to helping us deliver on our ambitions for net zero and in creating a lasting legacy for our communities.
“As well as generating cheap, clean energy, it is vital that our energy transition supports a just transition to net zero for everyone, which is why I particularly welcome Vattenfall’s South Kyle Community Fund, which promises to inject £38 million of investment into the local community in the 25 years of its operation.”
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