BT investigates £250m project for wind farm

19 October 2007ScotsmanLindsay Mcintosh

BT yesterday announced plans for a £250 million wind-farm project, which it hopes will eventually generate a quarter of its UK electricity needs. 

 The firm has identified sites in Orkney, Shetland and Cornwall for the scheme, and claims it is the UK's biggest corporate wind-farm project outside of the energy sector.

Planning applications for test masts have been submitted at Wideford Hill radio station, Orkney, and Scousburgh radio station, Shetland.

The proposals were welcomed by John Swinney, the finance and sustainable growth secretary, who said the plan was an "encouraging sign" that companies were engaging in the battle against climate change.

The firm claims the scheme would prevent the release of 500,000 tonnes of carbon a year.

Stuart Hay, at Friends of the Earth Scotland, said: "It is great to see BT making efforts to source energy renewably. We also hope that BT and other companies are looking at ways to reduce the energy consumed by their data centres."