Scottish wind developer, Burcote Wind re-committed to a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with CS Wind UK yesterday (Wednesday 28 September). The MoU was signed by Graham Brown, Director of Burcote Wind and Lesley Black, Sales and Marketing Manager at CS Wind UK at the WindEnergy Expo 2016 in Hamburg.
The agreement will see the two companies working together across Burcote Wind’s portfolio, including the recently consented Sandy Knowe Wind Farm, a 24 turbine project in Dumfries and Galloway.
In 2012, Burcote Wind first committed to a MoU with Wind Towers Scotland, which was then acquired by CS Wind Corporation earlier this year. Last year Burcote Wind also announced a partnership with ERG, Italy’s leading wind energy operator and one of the primary operators in Europe (1,446MW installed).
Burcote Wind’s portfolio is made up six active onshore wind projects at various stages of planning throughout Scotland. One of the company’s proposed developments, Creggan Wind Farm, is located close to the CS Wind UK plant in West Kintyre. Burcote Wind’s pipeline could provide the plant with over a year’s worth of orders based on the current manufacturing capacity, providing crucial support for local skills, employment and apprenticeships in Kintyre.
Graham Brown said: “I’m delighted to reaffirm and strengthen our relationship with CS Wind through the signing of this updated Memorandum of Understanding today. We want to ensure as much as possible of the £500 million investment behind our project pipeline is retained in Scotland, supporting jobs and skills. This includes our unique Procurement Policy, which offers local contractors a 5% price advantage when tendering for contracts relating to our projects. This coupled with our ground breaking Community Ownership scheme ensures our status a leading, community focused onshore wind developer.
Lesley Black commented: “CS Wind is delighted to reconfirm this agreement today in Hamburg. CS Wind’s acquisition of Wind Towers (Scotland) in April this year is a positive step towards strengthening the UK’s wind tower manufacturing capabilities and competitiveness.
“The support of developers like Burcote Wind for local suppliers provides a visible order pipeline for the factory, in turn helping to secure the future for high value skilled manufacturing jobs in renewables industry in the UK,”
Sir Ed Davey, Former Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, said: “I am delighted to have witnessed the MoU signing between CS Wind UK and Burcote Wind. To see these two companies reassert their commitment to production and development in Scotland is key for our industry’s growth within the UK. The jobs secured by CS Wind in Campbeltown show Scotland’s overall commitment to the energy industry.”
CS Wind UK is one of the largest single employers in the Campbeltown area, with a workforce of around 160. In July 2016 the company announced its commitment to make further investments in its plant, which will create and additional 160 jobs. This move was welcomed by Scottish Energy Minister, Paul Wheelhouse, who highlighted the company’s contribution to job creation in the local area.
The MoU commits both Burcote Wind and CS Wind UK to five years of future development within Scotland. The two companies will work together to provide the technical, commercial and operational support necessary in respect of wind energy projects being developed by Burcote Wind in the UK. Where possible the companies will agree to collaborate on future onshore wind projects within the UK.
Sandy Knowe Wind Farm 