The Clashindarroch wind parc, near Huntly – operated by Vattenfall, the giant state-owned Swedish utiity – has generated its first electricity with a wind speed of 17 mph.
The £62 million site is Vattenfall’s second operating wind farm in Scotland. This is the first of 18 turbines to start generating electricity and the supplier Senvion will continue preparing the remaining MM82 Senvion 2.05MW turbines for operation.
Piers Guy, Vattenfall UK Manager, said: “We want to build a wind business in Scotland that makes a telling contribution to Scottish climate change targets, helps keep the lights on and secures a robust Scottish wind power supply chain.”
“Generating first power from Clashindarroch is a significant achievement of which we are very proud. Building a wind farm of this size safely is a major engineering exercise and is testament to the skills and commitment of hundreds of workers from Chepstow to Dingwall via Grangemouth.
“The community will benefit too as generating power for the first time paves the way for significant local community investment later this year and for the next 20 years or more.”
Vattenfall’s 18-turbine Edinbane Wind Farm, on the Isle of Skye has been operating for five years. This was the first wind farm to be built in the UK by Vattenfall.
| Clashindarroch Wind Parc Project Facts | |
| Number of turbines | 18 |
| Wind turbine capacity | 2.05MW |
| Total installed capacity | 36.9 MW |
| Annual average CO2 savings | 49,000 tonnes |
| Average annual estimated production (Vattenfall estimates) | 114,469 MWh |
| Average annual homes equivalent (Vattenfall estimates) | 27,068 |
| Average annual cups of tea made (energy equivalent) | 4 billion |
| Estimated capital expenditure | £62 million |
| Estimated operational life | 20 to 25 years |
| Turbine model | MM82 Senvion |
| Tip height | 110 metres |
| Hub height | 67 metres |
| Rotor diameter | 82m metres |
| Weight of nacelle | 70 tonnes |
| Weight of towers | 122 tonnes (supplied by Mabey Bridge) |
| Site and Access Roads | 30.5km (15.1 new, 15.4 upgraded) (civil engineering by RJ McLeod) |
| Connection to grid | On site substation – Balfour Beatty |
Pixie Energy is an incubator and a facilitator of strategic research and project work, focusing on energy regulation, policy and markets at the local and national level. Find out more about Pixie Energy