RES’ wind farm plans could create £165 million boost to local Scottish economy

Solwaybank Wind Farm, Dumfries and Galloway – for illustrative purposes.

RES, a British company and the world’s largest independent renewable energy company, has submitted a Section 36 application to the Scottish Government’s Energy Consents Unit (ECU) for its 14-turbine Blair Hill Wind Farm proposal. If approved, the development, located 2.7km north of Newton Stewart in Dumfries and Galloway, would be capable of generating clean, low-cost electricity for the equivalent of over 115,000 homes every year.

As part of the proposal, RES is committed to providing a community benefit package worth more than £23 million over the project’s operational lifetime. During the construction, the project could also deliver £17 million of inward investment in the form of jobs, employment and the use of local services, and a further £125 million of economic activity linked to operations and maintenance and through business rates paid to Dumfries and Galloway Council.

Coinciding with the submission, RES is holding two drop-in information sessions to allow members of the public to view the plans in their submitted form. The drop-in sessions will be held on between 3-8pm on Monday 24 March at the County Buildings Hall in Wigtown and Tuesday 25 March at the McMillan Hall in Newton Stewart.

Sarah McArthur, Development Project Manager at RES said:

“We are delighted to have reached this milestone in the Blair Hill Wind Farm project and would like to thank everyone who participated in our public consultations in October 2023 and May 2024. The feedback we received from both the community and statutory consultees has been instrumental in shaping the final design of the wind farm.

“As part of our development plans, we propose to create a signposted, accessible heritage trail that will guide visitors through the site’s historical features, unlocking the rich archaeological heritage for the local community and tourists to the area alike.”

Dumfries and Galloway is predicted to have one of the highest demands for the onshore wind workforce in Scotland by 2030¹. In response to this, RES is committed to engaging universities and colleges within Dumfries and Galloway to offer learning and career development opportunities for students during the construction phase of the project, if it is consented.

The wind farm planning submission follows the delivery of an extensive community consultation programme with consultation events held in Newton Stewart, Wigtown, and Kirkcowan in October 2023 and May 2024. A Community Liaison Group (CLG) was also established between RES and the community, to create an effective and transparent channel of communication between RES, the local community and stakeholders.

Sarah added:

“We will continue to engage with the local community throughout the application process and I would encourage those interested to attend our information sessions at the County Buildings Hall in Wigtown and McMillan Hall in Newton Stewart on 24 and 25 March respectively.”

ENDS

Notes for editors:

^{1 ClimateXChange Report (2023): ‘Mapping the current and future workforce and skills requirements in Scotland’s onshore wind industry’.}

About RES

RES is the world’s largest independent renewable energy company, working across 24 countries and active in wind, solar, energy storage, green hydrogen, transmission, and distribution.  An industry innovator for over 40 years, RES has delivered more than 27GW of renewable energy projects across the globe and plans to bring more than 22GW of new capacity online in the next five years. 

As a service provider, RES has the skills and experience in asset management, operations and maintenance (O&M), and spare parts – supporting 41GW of renewable assets across 1,300 sites.  RES brings to the market a range of purposeful, practical technology-based products and digital solutions designed to maximise investment and deployment of renewable energy. 

RES is the power behind a clean energy future where everyone has access to affordable zero carbon energy bringing together global experience, passion, and the innovation of its 4,500 people to transform the way energy is generated, stored and supplied. Visit: www.res-group.com

CONTACT FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Rebecca Randall
RES Press Office
+44 7468 486974
[email protected]