Scottish association launches wind farm

Berwickshire Housing Association (BHA) and its joint venture partner Community Energy Scotland launched the wind farm, based in the Scottish Borders, yesterday.

The turbines, named Fisherman Three, are expected to generate £20m for BHA over the next 25 years by supplying energy to the National Grid, with which the 1,700-home landlord hopes to build 500 new units.

Helen Forsyth, chief executive of BHA, said: “The idea for the wind farm came when BHA realised that we had to be innovative in order to solve the dilemma of how to keep building new homes for social rent, which are so badly needed in this area, at a time when funding for new housing through traditional channels was in decline.

“The wind farm will provide BHA with a reliable, predictable, low-maintenance source of income that will allow us to build a steady stream of new affordable homes at a time when services are all too often being cut.”

The project was supported by funding from Triodos Bank and the Renewable Energy Investment Fund.

It will provide enough energy to power around 5,900 households, saving 12,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions a year.

Opening the wind farm, Paul Wheelhouse, Scottish minister for business, innovation and energy, congratulated BHA and Community Energy Scotland on completing the “important” scheme.