Renewable Energy Systems (RES) is delighted that planning permission has finally been granted for its proposed wind farm of eight wind turbines at Ark Hill in the Sidlaws.

Consent was given at a special meeting of Angus Council s Development Control Committee in Forfar on today (June 13).

This is a landmark decision for the area - the green-light for a small but important wind farm, the first in Angus. The decision has been a long time in coming, but we commend the Council for its diligence and thoroughness in considering the application , comments RES s Scottish Development Manager, Ray Hunter.

The consent has important implications in helping Angus take responsibility for its energy demand and reduce its burden on the environment.

At present Angus imports virtually all of the energy it consumes. The Ark Hill wind farm will help redress this imbalance with a renewable energy project that the area can be proud of. Annually, the scheme will generate enough electricity to meet the domestic needs of a town roughly the size of Forfar, thus making a significant contribution to the area s efforts to reduce its impact on climate change.

By displacing fossil fuel generation, the development of the Ark Hill wind farm will avoid the emission of 23,500 tonnes of carbon dioxide, 270 tonnes of sulphur dioxide and 80 tonnes of nitrous oxide emissions into the atmosphere each year. Carbon dioxide emissions are widely accepted as the principal cause of global climate change.

ENDS

Based on current UK electricity generating mix.