Food giant Nestle has signed a 15-year agreement to buy output from a wind power project in the UK.
Nestle will purchase about 125GWh of power annually from the Sanquhar project, which is being developed by Community Windpower in the Scottish borders region.
The nine-turbine wind farm in Dumfries and Galloway, which secured approval in 2013, is expected to be operational in the first half of 2017.
The wind farm will generate enough energy to supply the annual demands of 30,000 households.
After completion, the wind farm will power half of Nestlé’s electricity needs in the UK & Ireland.
Nestlé UK & Ireland chairman and CEO Dame Fiona Kendrick said: "We announced back in April that all of our grid-supplied electricity is coming from renewable sources but today’s announcement takes things a huge step further.
"This is a newly commissioned wind farm, generating new energy, creating capacity that didn’t previously exist and capable of providing half of our electricity needs. It’s a proud moment for us and means we have reached another key milestone in our efforts to become a sustainable business."
Nestlé plans to achieve 100% renewable electrical energy globally in the shortest practical timescale via RE100, a global initiative to engage, support and showcase influential firms committed to utilizing 100% renewable power.
The company also intends to reduce its UK carbon footprint by 40% by 2020.
Image: Nestle to power 50% of its UK operations through its own wind farm. Photo: Courtesy of Société des Produits Nestlé S.A.