The Stornoway Wind Farm on the Isle of Lewis is one step closer to fruition after accepting a grid offer from the National Grid.
Developers of the 36-turbine scheme – Lewis Wind Power – say acceptance of the grid offer further strengthens the case for the delivery of the new Western Isles grid connection.
The 130MW scheme, on Bennadrove Road near Stornoway, will generate enough electricity to power 90,000 homes and it estimated to generate £48million and more than 300 jobs during its construction phase.
The scheme was given the go-ahead by the Scottish Government in September 2012, following a scale-back in plans from 42 turbines to 36.
“This is an important milestone for the Stornoway Wind Farm project and for the development of renewables in the Western Isles,” said project director John Buswell.
“The acceptance of the grid offer underlines our 130MW consented scheme as a major contributor to the economic case for the new subsea cable to the mainland.”
He said Lewis Wind Power would continue to work with the National Grid and SSE subsidiary Scottish Hydro Electric Transmission, and the governments to secure the grid connection.
In December, energy firm SSE confirmed a new subsea cable to connect renewable energy schemes from the Western Isles to the mainland electricity network would not be laid until 2019.
The energy firm called on energy developers to give formal confirmation they would go ahead with projects, including the Stornoway Wind Farm, and pay upfront for their share of the grid link.
That same month, energy minister Fergus Ewing and council leaders from the Western Isles, Shetland and Orkney islands announced plans for an energy summit in early 2014 to discuss the implication’s of the UK Government’s decision to award higher subsidy rates to island wind projects.
The politicians described the plans, which will see island wind projects receive subsidy support of £115/MWh compared to £90/MWh for mainland projects, as a missed opportunity warning a one size fits all approach could hinder wind project development.
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