Wind Power in Scotland

Wind power in Scotland is the country's fastest growing renewable energy technology, with 2574 MW of installed capacity as of April 2011. The Robin Rigg Wind Farm is a 180 MW development completed in April 2010, which is Scotland's first offshore wind farm, sited on a sandbank in the Solway Firth. The United Kingdom's largest wind farm (322 MW) is at Whitelee in East Renfrewshire, which has a 217 MW extension under construction, set for completion in 2012. The Clyde Wind Farm is a 548 megawatt (MW) wind farm under construction near Abington in South Lanarkshire, Scotland, which will be Europe's largest onshore wind farm when completed. Two very large offshore wind turbines (5 MW each) are located in the Moray Firth. There are many other large onshore wind farms including some, both planned and operating, which are in community ownership.

The siting of turbines is sometimes an issue, but surveys have generally shown high levels of community acceptance for wind power in Scotland. Wind farm developers sometimes offer "community benefit funds" to help address any disadvantages faced by those living adjacent to wind farms. There is further potential for expansion, especially offshore given the high average wind speeds, and a number of large offshore wind farms are planned.

The Scottish Government has a target of generating 31% of Scotland's electricity from renewable energy by 2011, and 100% by 2020, which was raised from 50% in September 2010. The majority of this is likely to come from wind power.