March 1, 2011
Scotland

SSE ditches plans for Kintyre offshore wind farm

BBC News, www.bbc.co.uk 1 March 2011

Power company Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE) has abandoned plans for a windfarm in the sea off Kintyre.

The Perth-based group had intended to develop the windfarm 2km off the west coast.

However it said the location was too close to local communities and Campbeltown airport and it would disrupt recreational sailing.

SSE has decided to concentrate on another site 13km from Islay.

The company said it remained committed to developing the Islay site although the weather and seabed conditions were making it difficult.

Colin Hood, chief operating officer of SSE, said: “Islay has massive potential to contribute to the Scottish and UK governments’ renewable energy targets.

“Our proposed timetable for developing this site will allow time for the innovative development of the offshore technology and construction techniques necessary to build a windfarm in such a challenging environment.”

SSE has stake in one of the UK’s biggest offshore windfarms, Greater Gabbard, off the Suffolk coast, which began producing electricity earlier this year.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2011/03/01/sse-ditches-plans-for-kintyre-offshore-wind-farm/