Official opening of The Clachan Flats Wind Farm.
Alstom completes 15 MW wind farm for ScottishPower Renewables, powering over 8,500 households with clean, green energy
0The Clachan Flats Wind Farm, near Cairndow, Argyll and Bute in Scotland was officially opened by John Swinney, MSP, Scottish Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth. The new wind farm consists of nine Alstom ECO 74 turbines generating 15 MW of clean, green energy that collectively will generate enough electricity to power over 8,500 homes.
The 15 MW wind farm was built by global power engineering company, Alstom, for owner ScottishPower Renewables, a subsidiary of the Spanish energy group Iberdrola Renovables. All Alstom’s wind products feature ALSTOM PURE TORQUE™, a unique mechanical design concept which protects the gearbox and other drive train components from deflection loads for higher reliability.
Susan Deacon, ScottishPower Renewables Chairman said: “Clachan Flats is an excellent location for a wind farm and will make a significant contribution to our expanding wind energy operations as well as helping Scotland to achieve its ambitious green energy targets.”
This signifies Alstom’s continued investment into the UK renewables market, which in accordance with the 2008 Climate Change Act, will help the UK achieve its target of generating up to 35 per cent of its electricity from renewable sources, notably wind, by 2020. To meet this target, the UK will need 14 GW of onshore wind capacity, compared with approximately 3 GW today.
Stephen Burgin, Country President and Head of Power for Alstom in the UK, said: “Alstom is a significant force in UK power generation and is now establishing a strong UK position in renewable energy. The successful culmination of this contract along with the soon to be completed 26 MW wind farm we are constructing in Maesgwyn in South Wales, puts us firmly on the UK renewables map.”
Alstom will manage the two year operations and maintenance contract for ScottishPower Renewables at Clachan Flats Wind Farm, optimising availability of the wind farm throughout the year.
About Alstom
Alstom is a global leader in the world of power generation, power transmission and rail infrastructure and sets the benchmark for innovative and environmentally friendly technologies. Alstom builds the fastest train and the highest capacity automated metro in the world, provides turnkey integrated power plant solutions and associated services for a wide variety of energy sources, including hydro, nuclear, gas, coal and wind, and it offers a wide range of solutions for power transmission, with a focus on smart grids. The Group employs 96,500 people in more than 70 countries, and had sales of over € 23 billion* in 2009/10.
*Pro forma figures