SSE Renewables has announced that construction of its 50MW Aberarder onshore wind development has begun, due for completion in 2026.
The developer and operator took a final investment decision on the project, which is based in the Scottish Highlands, in May with a nearly £100 million investment. Vestas will supply and install all 12 turbines for the site.
The Aberarder wind farm scored in the Contracts for Difference (CfD) auction round 5 (AR5), securing a 15-year contract for its power generation. The site is located next to the operational 94MW Dunmaglass Wind Farm, which is co-owned by SSE Renewables and Greencoat UK Wind.
Once completed, the Aberarder project will see SSE Renewables, in partnership with the Highland Council, undertake £2.5 million of improvement works on the nearby Flichity Bridge, adding to the more than £9.75 million of improvements to road infrastructure already delivered by SSE Renewables as part of the nearby Dunmaglass project.
Heather Donald, director of onshore renewables development & construction at SSE, said: “Beginning construction of our Aberarder Wind Farm project is a significant milestone for SSE Renewables and for our onshore wind portfolio. This project will play its part in supporting Scotland and the UK’s net zero targets, producing homegrown clean power and helping secure a greener future.”
Scottish wind generation
Vestas, a Danish supplier, has provided turbines for SSE Renewables before, notably supplying 114 turbines for the Seagreen offshore wind farm, pegged as Scotland’s largest offshore wind farm by joint developers SSE Renewables and TotalEnergies.
The company, which manufactures, installs and services turbines, recently won an order from Invenergy for an 81MW onshore wind project in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. Vestas will supply 18 4.5MW turbines for the project, Invenergy’s largest development in the UK.
Due to its favourable weather conditions, Scotland is leading the UK’s wind generation. Having made wind capacity a core goal for its premiership, the Labour government has also promised to locate the headquarters of its publicly owned Great British Energy company in Scotland.
This is also partly motivated by a need to ensure there are not mass job losses in the country, which sees oil and gas employ a large proportion of its workforce. The SNP has criticised the project, saying it could risk 100,000 jobs in the north east of Scotland.
Speaking to fears that ending oil and gas licensing would cause mass job losses, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: “I’m convinced transition will bring more jobs to Scotland. We’re not going to turn the pipes off instantaneously, we’re not going to revoke any licenses in place.”
