There are many benefits that come with developing a windfarm, including generating clean, safe energy; reducing CO2 emissions; and helping secure our country's energy supply for the future.

Environmental benefits

Renewable energy sources are those such as sunlight, wind, waves and tides, which are continuously replenished. Of these renewables, wind power is currently the most economical and technically advanced and is an energy resource that has been harnessed for at least 2000 years.

It offers global benefits in terms of electricity generation in that it is free from emissions of carbon dioxide (the main 'greenhouse' gas associated with global climate change) and other pollutants, such as sulphur dioxide or oxides of nitrogen, which can lead to acid rain.

Wind energy provides us with a clean, safe, sustainable energy source enabling us to reduce these damaging emissions and protect our environment. It also provides diversity and therefore security in UK energy supplies by reducing dependency on imported finite fossil fuels such as coal, oil and gas.

Community benefits

If this windfarm is consented we are proposing to provide financial support to local communities to fund initiatives and projects for the lifespan of the windfarm (typically 25 years). Our decision to provide this support is not part of our planning application and will not be considered material by those who are responsible for determining it.

If consented we will hold discussions among Dumfries and Galloway and South Ayrshire Councils, Community Councils and local interest groups to gather opinions on the preferred vehicle for administering these funds that is independent of ScottishPower Renewables, that reflects the aspirations of the local community and reflects any council policy on community benefit.

We believe that worthy initiatives should be identified at community level and to ensure our community benefit payments fund the most appropriate causes, we prefer to leave the decisions up to local communities who have the best knowledge of the area. As our funding is from a non-government source it can be used to secure matched funding from larger grant schemes such as Leader Plus and the National Lottery. Successful bids can often see original funding multiplied, greatly enhancing its value.