Sainsbury’s Lothian wind farm reaches completion
The new wind farm will give Sainsbury’s a ‘major’ boost to its ambition to become operationally Net Zero by 2035
Sainsbury’s has completed its brand-new wind farm in Scotland, which will add up to 50 megawatts of electrical capacity to the grid in the form of renewable energy that will be used to power the retailer’s stores, offices and depots nationwide.
The wind farm, named Longhill Burn, has been under construction since 2021 when the retailer signed an agreement to buy 100% of the electricity it generates with renewable energy investment manager, Capital Dynamics.
The new wind farm will give Sainsbury’s a “major” boost to its ambition to become operationally Net Zero by 2035, while its commitment to the future of the wind farm will see Sainsbury’s invest millions of pounds in the renewable energy it produces over the next 15 years.
Longhill Burn is the seventh wind farm from which Sainsbury’s now buys 100% of the energy generated and an eighth site is expected to go live next year.
Patrick Dunne, director of property, procurement and EV ventures at Sainsbury’s, said: “We’re very proud to be investing in this state-of-the-art, sustainable source of new wind power, featuring the largest, most cutting-edge onshore turbines available in the UK.
“Now it’s completed, Longhill Burn Wind Farm can begin to realise its full potential, helping us take another massive step towards reducing our reliance on carbon.”
He added: “Sainsbury’s was the first UK retailer to start directly purchasing wind power for use in its estate back in 2008. Our commitment to the future of Longhill Burn Wind Farm builds on our proven track record of investing in sustainable technologies.”
The project was developed in partnership with Energiekontor AG, which managed the construction of the wind farm and will oversee its day-to-day performance and maintenance.
In addition, Longhill Burn will benefit from Capital Dynamics’ and Energiekontor’s long standing operations management experience.