This week, we’re handing the blog over to BayWa r.e., who are embarking on the Corriegarth 2 Project, an expansion of the Corriegarth Windfarm, and promises to inject approximately £11 million of project spend into the Highlands economy.
“At BayWa r.e. we r.e.think energy: how it is produced, stored and can be best used to enable the global renewable energy transition that is essential to the future of our planet. ”
About BayWa r.e.
We are a leading global developer, service supplier, distributor and solutions provider and have brought over 6 GW of energy online and manage over 10 GW of assets. We are also an Independent Power Producer with an expanding energy trading business.
BayWa r.e. has been active in the United Kingdom since 2011, being directly involved in the UK’s energy transition through its activities and innovations. The UK development pipeline currently stands at over 450 MW of onshore wind, 1.7 GWp of solar, and 600 MW of battery energy storage projects, being delivered from offices in Glasgow and Edinburgh.
In the UK, BayWa r.e. has constructed ten wind farm projects with a total capacity of ca. 225 MW. Two of those were constructed in the Highlands: Our Wathegar 2 and Stroupster Wind Farm schemes, which supply the region with more than 48 MW of clean energy every year, are also currently operated by our BayWa r.e. Operation Services team.
In addition to onshore technologies, BayWa r.e. UK Ltd. is part of Buchan Offshore Wind, which secured rights via the ScotWind leasing round to develop a 960 MW floating offshore wind farm off the northeast coast of Scotland. Buchan Offshore Wind have actively been engaging with communities in the Highlands, supporting initiatives such as the UHI’s STEM Outreach Programme. BayWa r.e.’s services business in the UK is based in Milton Keynes and Edinburgh and manages over 2 GW of solar, onshore wind and BESS sites across the UK and Ireland.
Meet Lead Renewable Developer, Jillian Adams
As Lead Renewable Developer, I am working with our Solar and Wind Development Teams to take projects from the first site finding and initiation stages, over the permitting process all the way to construction and energisation. I am currently project managing the approved Corriegarth 2 Wind Farm project, which will be an extension to the operational Corriegarth Wind Farm in Gorthleck, approximately 15 km north-east of Fort Augustus.
Seeking consent for a large scale infrastructure project, such as a wind farm, is a complex and often lengthy process. A critical element of project development is engagement with those closest to the projects – the neighbouring communities. We engage early and regularly with members of local communities, local business owners and other stakeholders to design our projects with their best interests in mind and maximise the benefits that they can harness from the project.
The Corriegarth 2 Project
Corriegarth 2 will make a meaningful contribution to the Highlands, with approximately £11 million of project spend being injected into the Highlands economy. We joined the Inverness Chamber of Commerce in order to benefit from their local economic network and to identify opportunities to work with local business leaders: to identify local supply chain opportunities; demonstrate the various benefits of the Corriegarth 2 project to the public; and celebrate the Highlands as an economic hub for Scotland.
BayWa r.e. And The Chamber
We appreciate that the ICC provides a comprehensive network with the common goal of working together for the Highland business community. The renewable energy industry has a lot to offer to Scotland as a whole, as well as the Highland Region specifically, and we are looking forward to helping businesses identify these fantastic opportunities.
We have had fantastic conversations with and support from the ICC team and would recommend other members regularly catch up with them about upcoming events, networking opportunities, and other ways to promote their businesses. The Chamber enables companies such as BayWa r.e. a direct pathway to find out more about and connect with other members which, in our case, we hope not only benefits us but also the local companies we are approaching about services for the Corriegarth 2 Wind Farm project.
A View To The Future
Over the next year we will be focussing on starting construction of Corriegarth 2 Wind Farm. We will be conducting the geological investigations at the site, discharging the pre-commencement planning conditions including continuing a number of ecological surveys. We will also be speaking to and tendering the key contracts for the civils, electrical and turbine components. This process includes opportunities for local contracts and services procured both directly and indirectly by BayWa r.e. including environmental and ecological consultancy, civil and electrical works, accommodation, and security. We have already used several locally based planning and environmental consultancies and are looking forward to exploring supply chain opportunities with local businesses.
