BLADES have been lifted onto turbines at what will become the UK’s largest consumer-owned wind farm in south-west Scotland.
Four of the eight turbines at the “pioneering” new wind farm in Kirkoswald, Ayrshire have been completed, site managers Ripple Energy said.
The wind farm, which is due to be operational by April 2024, is owned by some 5600 households and businesses from across Scotland, England and Wales.
Ripple Energy said that members are projected to save £269 off their energy bills in the first year of operation due to their part-ownership of the project.
The firm said that the consumer-owned Kirk Hill wind farm will have a total capacity of 18.8MW with the potential to power around 20,000 households and businesses.
Ripple Energy claimed the site would be able to generate enough electricity to power a home for a year in just 10 minutes.
READ MORE: How one community-owned Scots energy project brings wider benefits to its area
Sarah Merrick, the founder and chief executive of Ripple Energy, said: “Kirk Hill Wind Farm represents the future of green energy. It is owned by 5600 proud individuals who will benefit from the clean, low-cost energy generated by its turbines.
“From the moment they left the factories and made their journey across the Mediterranean and into the Port of Ayr, our members have been avidly following their journey. There’s a sense of history being made here on the west coast of Scotland as construction gets underway.
“Those who want a zero-carbon future can now part-own renewable energy projects, and directly benefit from lower and more stable electricity bills over the long-term.
“The future is consumer-owned renewable energy, and thousands of people in the UK have already joined the movement.”
Other wind farm projects in Scotland are proposing to create ringfenced funds for community improvements.
Banks Renewables has said that its proposed 38-turbine Bodinglee Wind Farm and battery storage development, near the town of Douglas in South Lanarkshire, could see a £50 million community fund accumulating over the project’s 40-year lifespan.
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