UK pension scheme Railpen has announced a joint venture to develop a 66-megawatt (MW) onshore wind project in North Argyll, Scotland, alongside Scottish renewable energy business GreenPower. The Barachander project is currently at the pre-planning consultation stage, with a planning application planned later this year. This is the largest project to date in Railpen’s green energy investments strategy, aiming to ensure energy provision for the equivalent of over 250,000 homes across its renewable assets portfolio. “Our partnership with Railpen is a very positive one, and it is brilliant that our own independent Scottish company and the country’s railway workers can combine our resources in this way, to not just create new green energy, but to make a difference to people locally and nationally,” said Rob Forrest, GreenPower CEO. The project is an extension of the existing partnership between GreenPower and Railpen, which together co-own 46MW of the operational Carraig Gheal wind farm in West Argyll. “Barachander represents an attractive opportunity to participate in the development of a significant onshore wind project, adding to our existing portfolio of renewable energy assets in the UK,” said Tim Grimstone, Investment Manager at Railpen. “The [UK] government’s recent push to accelerate onshore and offshore wind development aligns perfectly with our goals, including our pledge to achieve net zero across our investment portfolio by 2050. Partnering with the team at GreenPower helps us to achieve these goals, while the Barachander project itself will also provide substantial social and economic benefits.”
