Sunday June 25th 2023
Bowbeat wind farm.
Written by Local Democracy Reporter, Paul Kelly
A bid has been lodged to extend the lifespan of a pionnering Borders wind farm.
Bowbeat on the Moorfoot Hills near Innerleithen is one of Scotland’s most powerful wind farms.
It was officially opened by former Energy Minister Brian Wilson in 2003.
The construction of Bowbeat was very challenging and took a year to complete.
Access to the site was made up of several kilometres of reinforced forest track to help the construction vehicles and cranes up the site’s steep slopes.
In 2015, the wind farm was generating enough energy to supply almost 16,000 homes.
Bowbeat comprises of 24 turbines with a blade tip height of 76m and planning conditions allow it to remain operational until August 2025.
Now operators RWE Renewables UK has submitted a Screening Request to Scottish Borders Council in relation to extending the permitted operational period for five years from 2025 until 2030.
A report with the submitted request states: “At the end of the proposed extended operational period of Bowbeat, another application may be submitted for consent to further extend its operational period or otherwise repower the scheme, otherwise it will be decommissioned.”
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