A new wind farm tipped to generate enough renewable electricity to meet the annual needs of around 53,700 homes for the next 30 years has been officially opened in South Lanarkshire.
Earlier this year OnPath Energy (formerly Banks Renewables) announced that the new 15-turbine site was exporting clean, green electricity to the national grid.
The team has welcomed local community members, business partners and government officials to Kype Muir Wind Farm Extension to celebrate its official opening, with Joani Reid, Labour MP for East Kilbride and Strathaven, formally opening the site.
Joani Reid MP said, “I welcome the opportunity to open the Kype Muir Wind Farm Extension. It is another key building block towards a just transition to net zero as well a boost to the local economy. It is also great to see pupils from Newfield Primary being part of the celebration and the naming of the turbines.”
Kype Muir Extension is described as a ‘significant addition’ to OnPath Energy’s 26-turbine Kype Muir Wind Farm site. In 2022, Scotland’s then first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, officially marked the connection of the UK’s first 200m turbine at Kype Muir Extension, recognising it as a key moment for the nation’s renewable energy industry.
Kype Muir and its extension are expected to deliver more than £21 million worth of community benefits during its lifetime and will directly and indirectly support around 800 jobs.
Gordon Thomson, projects director at OnPath Energy, added, “The official launch of Kype Muir Extension is a major milestone for all involved in this project. The site is going to deliver vast amounts of clean renewable energy, while financially benefiting local communities for generations through our Kype Muir Community Partnership.”
Together, Kype and Kype Extension will displace around 307,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions annually.
The extension features four 156m, three 176m, and eight 200m-tall wind turbines. RJ McLeod (Contractors) Ltd were the principal contractors for both Kype Muir and Kype Muir Wind Farm Extension.
The event featured a plaque unveiling as well as the winners of a local school turbine naming competition. Children form from Stonehouse-based Newfield Primary were asked to think of creative names for the local developer’s wind turbines, and out of the 38 entries three winners were Harry Scott with Sir Winds A Lot, Orla Kier Bowers with The Topsy Turney, and Matthew Ramsay with Renewable Ronnie.
Councillor Robert Brown, chair of South Lanarkshire Council’s community and enterprise resources committee, stated, “The official launch of the Kype Muir extension marks a significant increase in the amount of clean, renewable energy that can be produced. It’s great news for the environment, and I am delighted that the local economy is also being supported in terms of the jobs that have been created. It is a significant long-term commitment by OnPath and I would like to extend my thanks to everyone involved in the project.”
