Fred. Olsen Renewables has welcomed the approval by Scottish Ministers of its application to develop Paul’s Hill II Wind Farm in Moray. The six turbine site, located 5km West of Upper Knockando, is an extension of the existing operational Paul’s Hill Wind Farm. Combined, the 34 turbine wind farm will be capable of producing over 85 MW of electricity.

Fred. Olsen Renewables has been operating Paul’s Hill Wind Farm since 2006 and has continued to work with the local communities and key stakeholders surrounding the site since first bringing forward the extension plans in 2014.

With construction anticipated to commence in 2022, the project will be operational by 2023.

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Finley Becks-Phelps, UK Development Director, at Fred. Olsen Renewables commented:

“We are delighted that the Scottish Government has granted consent for Paul’s Hill II. We have worked for several years to design this project. During this time, we have made sure that our proposals reflect feedback from many stakeholders, including the local community.

“To date, Fred. Olsen Renewables has contributed more than £800,000 to the communities closest to the Paul’s Hill Wind Farm, and Paul’s Hill II will also deliver a raft of benefits. This includes creating up to four full time roles, including up to eight related roles during the operation period and delivering opportunities for local contractors. The wind farm will also provide over £3,000,000 in community benefit to support sustainable community initiatives.

“We look forward to continuing being part of the local area and working closely with the Council and communities to make sure that the social and economic benefits are realised locally.”

Kirstin Leckie, Project Manager for lead EIA consultants Natural Power, commented:

“Having worked with the communities closest to Paul’s Hill and Paul’s Hill II over the last few years, I hope that today’s announcement will be welcome news locally.

“I hope the project will deliver a long-lasting positive legacy for everyone. This consent is a great step towards meeting the country’s national renewable energy targets and the movement towards net zero”