Iberdrola strengthens its commitment to the circular economy through the refurbishment of its UK wind farms

ScottishPower Renewables, Iberdrola Group’s renewable energy subsidiary in the UK, has highlighted the economic and environmental potential of refurbishing wind farms following the decommissioning of Hagshaw Hill 1, Scotland’s first commercial wind farm.

A report prepared by Mott MacDonald concludes that 99.9% of the materials removed from the facility were recycled or reused, demonstrating the value of applying circular economy principles at the end of the useful life of renewable energy assets.

The study highlights that modernising the first wind farms not only makes it possible to increase clean energy generation but also creates opportunities for the local economy and supply chain. In the case of Hagshaw Hill 1, the work has generated contracts for companies in Scotland and other parts of the UK, supporting job creation, the development of new industrial capabilities and the efficient use of resources.

The initiative also opens new business opportunities in sectors linked to the reuse of renewable energy components. These include the recycling of wind turbine blades, which can be transformed into new materials for construction and engineering, and helping to reduce waste and the emissions associated with developing new energy infrastructure.

Hagshaw Hill 1, which began operating in 1995, has been replaced by 14 more modern and efficient turbines, increasing the site’s generation capacity to 80 MW, enough to supply electricity to the equivalent of around 57,000 homes per year. For Iberdrola, the project demonstrates how repowering renewable energy facilities can combine more clean energy, the circular economy and local economic development, laying the foundations for the next generation of wind farms.

You can read the full story in the ScottishPower Renewables media centre.