Turbines to rise at full tilt across country

Firm wins £2m from investors

A Scottish energy firm yesterday said it had won a £2million deal with an Italian investment fund to put up 10 “tilting wind turbines” across the country.

Two of the first three turbines will be installed in Insch, Aberdeenshire, with the other in the Western Isles.

The turbines can be winched down to lower the risk of damage during bad weather, and to make it easier to service them.

Turbine maker Orenda Energy Solutions said work on the three sites would start immediately, while the other seven are at “various stages of the planning process”.

Orenda, based in Livingstone, expects to have all 10 of its 51kW Skye “tilting tower” turbines in place within a maximum of 12 months.

Orenda, which also has a base in Ontario, Canada, will manage the entire process from site development to operation and maintenance of its technology.

Steve McMahon, Orenda’s vice president of sales and marketing, said the firm’s full turnkey service was devised in order to attract the next generation of investors who are looking for returns on green investments.

It inked the investment deal with CanadEnergy, which is making its first foray into the UK wind energy market.

CanadEnergy’s has a number of wind energy projects under developmentinCanada. ItsUKsubsidiary, Britannia Energy, will own the Scottish sites.

Luca Roffi, president of CanadEnergy, said the newtechnology’s practicality appealed to his fund and that he was enthusiastic about the renewable sector, despite UK Government cuts to onshore wind subsidies.

He said: “Orenda’s turbine design and its ability to be folded down quickly for maintenance, struck ergy on the deal, said: “Our investors look for project returns that are substantially guaranteed for the life of theequipmentandare in countries with a stable, long-term outlook.

“Scotland has excellent wind resources and benefits from an infrastructure that recognises the potential and importance of its natural environment.

“Operating in the UK and specifically Scotland will be of significant benefit to CanadEnergy.”