May 10 2006
New Secretary of State for Trade and Industry opens Paul's Hill windfarm in Moray
Scotland's latest renewable energy project will be opened today by Alistair Darling on his first official engagement as Secretary of State for Trade and Industry.
Developed by Fred Olsen Renewables Ltd, through its agent Natural Power Consultants, the Paul's Hill wind farm cost £57 million and comprises 28 turbines, situated on open hills, 23km south west of Elgin and 15km west of Aberlour.
Trade and Industry Secretary Alistair Darling said: "I am very much looking forward to working at the DTI and I'm pleased that I am able to return to the Highlands for my first official engagement as the new Secretary of State for Trade and Industry.
"The wind farm at Paul's Hill that I am opening will provide enough clean, green energy to power 47,000 homes, which is almost 40% of the total electricity requirements of Morayshire.
"The Government wants 10% of our electricity to come from renewable sources by 2010 and this project will be making a considerable contribution to that target."
The wind farm will also deliver important environmental benefits, including the potential to reduce emissions to the atmosphere by fossil fuel power stations. Over the lifetime of the wind farm, this could mean a reduction of around 2.5 to 3.9 million tonnes of carbon dioxide, the main climate change gas, as well as a substantial saving in emission of pollutants such as nitrogen oxides and sulphur dioxide.
Jeremy Sainsbury, director, Natural Power Consultants, said, "The official opening is another major step forward in the development of Scotland's renewable energy sector. At the Paul's Hill Wind Farm, we believe we are demonstrating how a large onshore wind farm can be sited carefully in a relatively remote location and, at the same time, make a substantial contribution to the UK's renewable energy targets. "
Paul's Hill Wind Farm and other projects like it improve Scotland's undoubted potential to be a world leader in the field of renewable energy and we hope that the official opening will boost confidence in the industry to invest further.
Over the six years that we have worked to bring the project to this point, we believe we have developed good relationships in the local community and it is very much our aim that we continue to be a good neighbour"
The opening of the Paul's Hill Wind Farm comes exactly one year to the day after the opening of Rothes Wind Farm, another Fred Olsen Renewables development, which comprises 22 turbines, located 10km west of Rothes in Moray.