Renewable energy to power major project at Hunterston Port
Energy giant SSE Energy Solutions has signed a deal with Hunterston Port and Resource Campus (PARC) to provide renewable energy for a development at the site.
The development by Peel Ports Group will see a new energy and marine campus on 300 acres of land within the Clydeport facility in Ayrshire.
As part of the development’s plans, SSE will provide the infrastructure and renewable energy to power the operations of the park. The port operator’s vision is to create a business park 40 minutes from Glasgow which will bring together leading industry operators, academics and innovators to deliver technological advances in areas such as power generation and aquaculture.
The Scottish Government has set a target date for net zero emissions of all greenhouse gases by 2045 and SSE has an £12.5bn capital investment plan to accelerate progress towards net zero to 2026, the majority of which will go to low-carbon infrastructure.
The port group previously announced a long-term deal with sub-sea cabling company XLCC for a major facility at Hunterston PARC to include two factories, which could further generate 900 jobs. It gained final planning approval this year.
Nathan Sanders, Managing Director at SSE Energy Solutions, said: “The Hunterston PARC project aligns perfectly with our Just Transition and Social Value strategies. We believe in working closely with communities and local businesses to tackle climate change and this development will bring jobs and investment to the West of Scotland, as well as contributing to the UK’s net zero ambitions.”
Lewis McIntyre, Managing Director of Port Services at Peel Ports Group, said: “We are extremely proud to welcome a partner as significant and well-respected as SSE to Hunterston PARC. This important agreement will support a wide range of other developments across our facility in meeting their energy needs.
“One of the key, long term aims of Peel Ports Group has been torepurpose this nationally important port for the blue and green economies, and we look forward to working with SSE on this partnership in the coming years.”
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