Turbine supplier announced for Highland wind farm

SSE Renewables

SSE Renewables has announced Vestas as the turbine supplier for its Aberarder wind farm in the Highlands.

Vestas will supply and install a dozen of its V117-4.2 MW wind turbines in 4.3 MW operating mode at the Aberarder site in Strathnairn.

The Aberarder project was successful in the 2023 contract for difference (CfD) allocation round, securing a 15-year contract for low-carbon power generation.

SSE made a final investment decision on Aberarder Wind Farm in May of this year in a circa £100 million investment, with construction due to begin before the end of 2024 and completion scheduled for late 2026.

Once operational, the site will be capable of generating enough green energy to power almost 60,000 homes annually and and displace around 30,000tCO2e during its first year of operation, SSE said.

The wind farm will sit on a natural plateau at an average of 700m above sea level, directly adjacent to the operational 94MW Dunmaglass wind farm which is jointly owned by SSE Renewables and Greencoat UK Wind.

Heather Donald, Onshore Renewables Development and Construction Director, at SSE Renewables, said, “We are delighted to be working with Vestas again with whom we have partnered with on other assets in our portfolio such as our Viking Wind Farm in Shetland.

“This marks another key milestone in the delivery of our Aberarder Wind Farm, which will be another important asset in our onshore wind portfolio and will help support Scotland and the UK on the road to producing more homegrown clean power to secure our energy future.”