SAINSBURY’S has committed to buying 100% of the electricity produced by the newly-constructed Longhill Burn Wind Farm in West Calder.
The renewable energy will be used to power the retailer’s stores, offices, and depots nationwide – giving a ‘major boost’ to its ambitions to become net zero in its own operations by 2035.
Longhill Burn Wind Farm has been under construction since 2021. Located in West Calder, it features a total of eight turbines designed and delivered by Siemens Gamesa.
The blades measure 76-metres in length and the turbines stand at over 200m tall at their highest point. Each turbine provides a maximum output of between 6-6.4MW, making them the largest and most powerful onshore wind turbines available in the UK.
When all the turbines are operating at maximum capacity, together they will provide enough electricity to supply up to 33% of Sainsbury’s total electricity needs. Over the course of a full year, they are expected to produce around 150,000 megawatt hours (MWh) of electricity, which is enough to power 300,000 60-watt lightbulbs continuously or provide electricity for around 55,000 average UK homes.
Longhill Burn is the seventh wind farm from which Sainsbury’s now buys 100% of the energy generated and an eighth site is expected to go live next year, the retailer added.
Patrick Dunne, Sainsbury’s director of property, procurement, and EV ventures, said, “We’re very proud to be investing in this state-of-the-art, sustainable source of new wind power, featuring the largest, most cutting-edge onshore turbines available in the UK. Now it’s completed, Longhill Burn Wind Farm can begin to realise its full potential, helping us take another massive step towards reducing our reliance on carbon.
“Sainsbury’s was the first UK retailer to start directly purchasing wind power for use in its estate back in 2008. Our commitment to the future of Longhill Burn Wind Farm, which both enabled its construction and guaranteed its long-term viability, builds on our proven track record of investing in sustainable technologies.”
The project was developed in partnership with Energiekontor AG, which managed the construction of the wind farm and will oversee its day-to-day performance and maintenance. Longhill Burn will also benefit from Capital Dynamics’ and Energiekontor’s longstanding operations management experience, Sainsbury’s added.
