‘Hidden faces’ of onshore wind highlighted
Boost for sector as future remains in doubt
A new website highlighting the benefits of Scotland’s onshore wind sector is launched today alongside a document which celebrates some of the hidden faces of onshore wind.
Both the website and the report – titled Onshore Wind: Investing in Scotland’s Energy Future – are published at the start of Onshore Wind Week, which will be celebrated across the UK.
Onshore wind employs 8,000 people in Scotland and delivers around a quarter of all electricity generated in the country.
Scottish Renewables Chief Executive Claire Mack said: “Both the website and report show the enormous wealth of benefits provided by onshore wind in Scotland – but also the people who make the sector the success that it is.
“It can sometimes be hard for people to see the renewables workforce. Unlike in many industries, the people who work in the new energy sector are often out of sight, but it’s their contributions which are driving clean energy forward.
“Renewables are about more than just energy, and by drawing out their stories alongside new statistics on the low cost, increasing popularity and environmental benefits of onshore wind, both the website and the report paint a picture of an industry which is delivering for Scotland.”
Onshore Wind Week, which is being celebrated from June 11-15, aims to highlight those benefits – as well as the challenges currently faced by onshore wind.
Alongside solar PV, onshore wind – the cheapest form of new power generation available – is still locked out of the mechanism used by the UK Government to obtain the low-carbon electricity needed to meet the UK’s carbon targets.
Scottish Renewables Chief Executive Claire Mack added: “This situation flies in the face of the UK Government’s manifesto commitment to reduce energy bills for consumers. Instead of doing that, they are ruling out one of the most popular – and the cheapest – forms of energy generation available.
“We continue to urge the UK Government to recognise the enormous social, economic and environmental benefits of this technology, as demonstrated by this website and report, and remove the barrier to onshore wind competing in the market for long-term power contracts as a matter of urgency.”
