SSE, a leading energy company in the UK, has announced a final investment decision to proceed with the construction of the Aberarder Wind Farm in the Scottish Highlands. This decision represents an investment of approximately £100 million, boosting SSE’s onshore wind portfolio.

The Aberarder Wind Farm, which is wholly owned by SSE Renewables, will consist of 12 turbines with a total capacity of 50MW. Construction is set to begin before the end of the year, with completion scheduled for the end of 2026.

The project was successful in securing a 15-year contract for low-carbon power generation in the UK’s fifth Contract for Difference (CfD) Allocation round in September 2023. The Aberarder project site is located near Inverness, at an average of 700m above sea level, adjacent to the operational 94MW Dunmaglass Wind Farm, which is jointly owned by SSE Renewables and Greencoat UK Wind.

Once operational, Aberarder will be capable of generating enough energy to power the equivalent of 60,000 homes annually, while offsetting over 35,000 metric tonnes of carbon emissions each year.

Heather Donald, Director of Onshore Development and Construction at SSE Renewables in a company press release, said: "Onshore wind is a critical component of the net zero transition. Projects like Aberarder support jobs and communities and generate clean green electricity for millions of homes and businesses up and down the country. They are also the foundation of a homegrown electricity system and will help strengthen energy security and deliver on Scotland and the UK’s net zero targets."

The Aberarder project will also contribute to the delivery of SSE plc’s Net Zero Acceleration Programme Plus (NZAP Plus), a fully funded, five-year investment plan to 2027 which will see SSE invest around £20.5bn or over £10m a day on average on critical low carbon energy and electricity infrastructure.