Europe’s largest onshore wind granted final approval

The UK utility company ScottishPower has been granted final planning approval for Europe's largest on-shore windfarm, the 322 MW Whitelee project south of Glasgow.

The 140 turbine project, being developed at an estimated £300 million ($500 million), has been approved by the Scottish Executive and should now be completed by 2009.

Whitelee will provide more than 11% of the 2010 Scottish Executive’s renewable energy target of 18% of all electricity generation in Scotland, and 2.4% of the national target of 10%.

However, the move follows a recent setback for Scottish wind with a decision from the Highland Council’s Planning, Development, Europe and Tourism Committee. The committee recommend the amended Highland Renewable Energy Strategy and Planning Guidelines that includes the reduction of proposed on-shore wind power output from 2 GW to 1.4 GW, the reduction of the preferred development areas from 11 to 3 and a modest reduction of local and tidal energy output.