Clyde

  • Category: Renewables
  • Energy type: Onshore wind
  • Project type: Asset

The Clyde wind farm was officially opened by Scotland’s then First Minister, Alex Salmond. Clyde, currently one of Europe’s biggest single consented wind farms, started exporting electricity to the national grid in June 2011.

  • 152 turbines at Clyde wind farm are split into three sections
  • total installed capacity of 350MW 
  • situated between Biggar and Moffat occupying around 47 square kilometres

In March 2016, SSE signed agreements for the sale of 49.9% of Clyde Wind Farm to Greencoat UK Wind Plc (“UKW”) and GMPF & LPFA Infrastructure LLP (“GLIL”).  For more information about our Partners please click on the link at the bottom of the page.

We operate a leading community investment programme, delivering financial support to a diverse range of community projects near to our renewable developments in the UK and Ireland. Please visit our Communities page for more information. 

 

Quick overview

Consent for Clyde wind farm was granted by Scottish Ministers in July 2008 with construction commencing in April 2009. At the peak of construction around 400 people were employed on the site. Clyde’s location presented many engineering challenges, including the need to construct around 105km of roads to enable access to the furthest reaches of the site. Associated infrastructure also included two substations, one operations building and a new radar installation in Cumbernauld.

The £500m project has contributed approximately £100m of contract value with companies in Scotland, including Wind Towers in Machrihanish supplying the turbine towers, plus associated indirect value to the supply chain.

Clyde continues to provide a range of employment opportunities with 10 full-time SSE staff and 39 Siemens staff based across the site with additional jobs created off-site to facilitate operations and maintenance.

Clyde extension

In July 2014, SSE Renewables was granted consent by the Scottish Government, to construct and operate a 54 turbine extension to the existing 152 turbine Clyde Wind Farm located between Biggar, Abington and Moffat.

The extension site is positioned in the land surrounding Camps Reservoir to the north-east of the operational site and is situated within both Scottish Borders and South Lanarkshire Council areas. The extension will create an infill between the central and north sections of the existing Clyde Wind Farm.

When the extension to Clyde is commissioned (currently under construction with completion expected mid 2017) the equity stake jointly owned by UKW and GLIL will be diluted to 30% with SSE retaining 70%.

For more information about Clyde Extension please click here.

 

Community

We recognise that our investments in new electricity generation benefit from the co-operation of the local community in a variety of ways, particularly during the construction phase. In recognition of this, our policy is to establish long-term funds to support community projects in areas where we are developing generation projects. 

Crawford Play Park, pictured above, was officially opened in June 2016. The play park was funded Clyde Wind Farm Fund and the Clyde Extension Wind Farm Fund.

Please visit our Communities page for more information.

Visitors – Outdoor Access

Clyde Wind Farm Kirst

If you are keen to visit Clyde wind farm then we have some great access stiles set up across the site with more to come once the extension moves out of its construction phase and becomes operational. Maps can be downloaded below to ensure that if you are planning on visiting us you don’t get lost.

The site covers a large area of land and weather conditions can vary greatly – preparation is key.  Plan your route and be realistic about what you can manage. It is also important to ensure you have warm waterproof clothing and sturdy footwear and that you stay on the access tracks.  Mobile phone reception varies on site and can not be relied upon so it is also helpful to let someone know where you are and when to expect you back!

Scotland provides many great opportunities for outdoor access. The Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 ensures everyone has statutory access rights to most of Scotland’s outdoors. The Scottish Outdoor Access code provides detail on these responsibilities with the three key principles being to:- respect the interest of other people, care for the environment and take responsibility for your own actions.  For more information about the Code please click here: http://www.outdooraccess-scotland.com/the-act-and-the-code/introduction

Outdoor access leaflets

Access Map C

Access Map E

Access Map F

Partners

Greencoat UK Wind Plc (“UKW”)
Greencoat UK Wind Plc is the leading renewable infrastructure fund, invested in 20 operating UK wind farms with net generating capacity of 436 MW (including its shareholding in Clyde). UKW is managed by an experienced team of senior executives from Greencoat Capital LLP, is listed on the LSE main market and included in the FTSE-250 index, and is overseen by a strong and experienced independent board.
 
Greencoat Capital is a leading European renewable investment manager with over £1.5 billion of equity under management across a number of funds in wind infrastructure, solar infrastructure and private equity.

GMPF & LFPA Infrastructure LLP (“GLIL”)
GLIL Infrastructure LLP was formed in April 2015 as a 50/50 joint venture between the Greater Manchester Pension Fund and London Pensions Fund Authority to increase their exposure to infrastructure, deliver long-term returns that match their liabilities and provide much needed investment in major UK infrastructure projects.
 
On the 1st December 2016, 3 additional partners were admitted, the Lancashire County Pension Fund, Merseyside Pension Fund, and West Yorkshire Pension Fund, increasing commitments to £1.3bn.
 
GLIL’s focus is on investment UK infrastructure assets using a wide variety of instruments and unlimited holding period. To date GLIL has invested over £250m in 3 UK infrastructure projects.