ESB takes over Wood stake in Lewis Wind Power partnership

Irish state-owned energy company ESB will partner with EDF Renewables to deliver the Stornoway wind farm on the Isle of Lewis.

The joint partnership will see ESB take over the 50:50 joint venture share in Lewis Wind Power from Wood.

Lewis Wind Power received planning consent in 2022 for a 33-turbine wind farm with a capacity of up to 200MW, located to the west of Stornoway.

The project is set to generate enough low carbon electricity to power approximately 115,000 homes.

In addition to Lewis Wind Power, ESB and French state-owned EDF Renewables are already joint partners in the development of the 450MW Neart Na Gaoithe (NnG) offshore wind farm.

© Supplied by Forth Ports

Located in the Firth of Forth, the NnG project is due to be completed in 2024.

EDF Renewables welcomes ESB partnership

EDF Renewables head of onshore development Darren Cuming said the company was delighted to welcome ESB as a new joint venture partner.

“We work with (ESB) on other projects, including Neart na Gaoithe, our offshore wind farm, currently under construction in the Firth of Forth,” Mr Cuming said.

“We are fully committed to developing Stornoway wind farm and bringing significant benefits to the local economy and the communities on the island.

© Supplied by EDF Renewables

“The local community will start to see activity ramping up over the next few years as we progress to the construction phase of the wind farm.”

ESB head of onshore development David Farrell said ESB is committed to sustainable development which respects the local environment and communities.

“ESB has an ambition to become a Net Zero generator across UK and Ireland by 2040,” Mr Farrell said.

“A key influence in our decision to partner with EDF on this project is our companies’ shared values and the local communities support for this wind farm development.

“Scotland is very progressive in its policies to address climate change and ESB is delighted to continue to invest in renewable energy in Scotland through this acquisition.”

Stornoway wind farm progresses

Over the next two years, EDF Renewables said it will carry out bird surveys as Lewis Wind Power progresses towards preparing the site for construction.

Mr Cuming also said EDF Renewables will continue to work with the Comhairle nan Eilean Siar (Western Isles Council) and with Stornoway Trust, a publicly elected body which manages the Stornoway Trust Estate on behalf of the local community.

© Supplied by EDF Renewables

Once the wind farm is operational, EDF Renewables said nearly £1million will be available annually through a dedicated community benefit fund.

So far, EDF Renewables said it has invested close to £12m in the development of the Stornoway project.

EDF Renewables previously caused controversy on Lewis after the size of its planned ‘super turbines’ were met with outrage from locals.

In 2019, Crofters on Lewis also claimed Stornoway Trust chairman Norman MacIver had a “conflict of interest” in overseeing the wind farm development on grazing land – while applying for a scoping permission to have turbines on his own land 17 miles away in Barvas.

Across the UK, the EDF Renewables owns and operates 34 wind farms as well as a battery storage unit.