Helping to secure the future of the onshore wind sector and optimise wind farm performance is a source of pride for the AIS Wind Energy team.
It means we’re supporting an industry that is transforming the UK’s energy market for the better – shifting us away from fossil fuel consumption and towards renewables.
Increasingly, we are seeing evidence of this shift in effect. A recent report from Imperial College London showed that 32.4% of the UK’s electricity came from wind farms in the first quarter of 2023, compared with 31.7% from natural gas-fired power plants. While this figure represents power generated from both onshore and offshore wind farms, onshore facilities are undoubtedly making a significant contribution.
Onshore wind is also one of the cheapest sources of renewable energy and has the potential to provide cost-effective electricity for millions of people in an era when high energy bills are a constant concern.
There are now more than 1,500 operational onshore wind farms across Great Britain, generating over 14 megawatts of electricity for the National Grid – which is enough to power millions of homes. As more capacity waits in the wings to come online, it’s useful to take stock of wind farms operating successfully now – so they can provide a blueprint for others.
Here are some of the stand-out onshore wind farms in the sector:
Whitelee Windfarm
Whitelee, operated by Scottish Power Renewables, is the UK’s largest onshore windfarm and is located on Eaglesham Moor, outside Glasgow. The farm comprises 215 turbines which generate up to 539 megawatts of electricity – enough to power more than 350,000 homes.
The farm began generating electricity in January 2008. According to a report published in 2019, enough C02 was being saved by the wind farm each day to offset two days’ worth of domestic flights to and from Gatwick Airport .
Clyde Wind Farm
Clyde Wind Farm is another of Europe’s largest operational wind farms. The farm in South Lanarkshire, Scotland, is a joint venture partnership between SSE, Greencoat UK Wind Plc and GLIL Corporate Holdings Ltd. It features 206 turbines, has an installed capacity of 522 megawatts and generates enough renewable energy to power over 290,000 homes.
Pen y Cymoedd
Located in South Wales and developed by Vattenfall, Pen y Cymoedd is Wales’ largest wind farm. It comprises 76 turbines and has been in operation since 2017. Pen y Cymoedd can produce enough energy – up to 228 megawatts – to power 15% of Welsh homes annually. In addition to the production of fossil-free electricity, a 22 megawatt battery is co-located at the wind farm. It can respond to the needs of the grid in less than a second and supports a stable supply of power to UK homes.
Keadby
The 68 megawatt Keadby Wind Farm, owned by SSE Renewables and located in North Lincolnshire, is England’s largest onshore wind farm. Energy is generated by the farm’s 34 turbines, which have been operational since 2014. Working together, they have the capacity to power approximately 57,000 homes.
Projects in the pipeline
Exciting projects continue to come to fruition in the onshore wind farm sector, and in 2024, the Viking Wind Farm, developed by Viking Energy – a partnership between Shetland Islands Council and SSE plc, is set for operation. When complete, it will comprise 103 turbines and generate up to 443 megawatts – enough energy to power the equivalent of almost half a million homes.
Onshore wind has a vital role to play in role in moving the UK closer to its net-zero targets and at AIS Wind Energy, we are committed to supporting the development of the sector.
We provide the expertise and resources the wind energy industry needs to optimise wind farm performance and maximise the potential of wind power.
To see how the team at AIS Wind Energy could support your onshore wind farm with our wind turbine installation, commissioning, maintenance, servicing, component replacement and decommissioning services, contact us.
