The 50MW, 14 turbine Beinn an Tuirc 3 windfarm is now generating enough clean electricity to power the equivalent of almost 46,000 homes, bringing more green energy on to the grid.
Amazon is purchasing 100% of the power output from this windfarm, and the energy generated will power Amazon and Amazon Web Services (AWS) data centres, corporate offices, and fulfilment centres across the UK. The project is Amazon's first operational renewable energy project in the UK.
The largest ScottishPower windfarm to be built without a government support scheme, it was enabled by Amazon's Power Purchase Agreement (PPA).
PPAs allow developers to invest in and build new green infrastructure projects with a clear route to market and without relying on public funding for renewable energy while corporate customers benefit from a trusted source of clean energy, certainty, and a reduction in their own carbon footprint.
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Lindsay McQuade, CEO of ScottishPower Renewables, said: "It's really exciting to mark the completion of Beinn an Tuirc 3 and the start of our PPA with Amazon during UK Wind Week and with just a few days to go until the COP26 UN Climate Change Conference gets underway. If we're going to reach net zero over the next thirty years, we need to quadruple the amount of renewable energy produced in the UK so we can move away from petrol and diesel cars; electrify public transport; get rid of gas boilers and move to electric heating for our homes; and lower emissions from heavy industry and the goods and services we rely on every day. We're proud to have delivered Amazon's first renewable project in the UK, supporting The Climate Pledge and the company's commitment to be net-zero carbon across its business by 2040. This will support a greener and more sustainable economy and help us all enjoy a cleaner and better future, quicker."
John Boumphrey, UK Country Manager, Amazon, said: "Amazon is on a path to powering our operations with 100% renewable energy by 2025, five years ahead of schedule. We are excited that our first Scottish windfarm is now contributing to that goal, and we have three more large-scale renewable projects in development across the UK. Investing in clean energy and working across all of our operations to become more efficient is just one of the many actions we are taking to reach our commitment as part of The Climate Pledge to be net-zero carbon by 2040."
