BT signs £185m deal to buy Scots wind farm power

Jenny Hogan

BT said it signed a new power purchase agreement (PPA) worth £185 million over 15 years with the Stroupster Wind Farm in Caithness, Scotland, which is owned by Greencoat UK Wind.

BT said it now had agreements with four windfarms in the UK, including Fallago Rig in the Scottish Borders, helping to power demand for digital services.

Thirteen wind turbines at Stroupster provide BT with 100 Gigawatt (GW) hours per year.

Rob Williams, BT’s general manager of power procurement, said: “BT is a green energy pioneer and we have been purchasing 100% renewable energy in the UK since 2012.

“By 2020 we aim to be purchasing 100% renewable electricity worldwide, so soon all of our power will come from sources such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides, waves and geothermal heat wherever we operate across the globe — where markets allow.”

Scottish Renewables director of policy Jenny Hogan said: “The fact that we’re seeing more and more large companies like BT contracting most or all of their power from sources like wind, solar, hydro and biomass shows that renewable energy makes good business sense.

“Renewables are already Scotland’s biggest source of power — ahead of nuclear, gas and coal — and have the potential to provide half of all Scotland’s energy — electricity, heat and transport — by 2030.

“It’s great to see firms like BT grasp this opportunity to cut carbon and stabilise their energy costs.”