Wind farm approved

Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Jobs and Fair Work, Keith Brown has today granted planning consent for a new 19-turbine wind farm in the south of Scotland.

Aikengall IIa will be located in the Lammermuir Hills between East Lothian and the Scottish Borders.

The development by Community Wind Power Ltd will:

• Generate up to £9.4 million in community benefit, to be divided equally between local communities
• Support the creation of around 100 jobs
• Have a generating capacity around 75.5MW, enough to power the equivalent of almost 35,000 homes

The Cabinet Secretary agreed with the findings of the Public Local Inquiry Reporters to grant consent.

Mr Brown said:

“Once operational, the Aikengall IIa wind farm will generate up to £9.4 million in community benefit, while producing enough electricity to power almost 35,000 homes and bringing jobs and investment to local communities.

“Renewable energy sources generated more than 56% of gross electricity consumption in Scotland in 2015, helping support our world-leading ambitions to become a low-carbon economy.

“The growth of onshore wind in recent years has been a key factor in the expansion of renewable energy in Scotland: creating jobs, providing secure and low-carbon energy and delivering significant local benefits.”