Wind energy expansion is occurring worldwide as many countries rely heavily on the energy to increase their overall renewable energy sectors. Currently, the largest wind farm in Europe resides in the United Kingdom, Scotland specifically. Despite already being the largest wind farm in Europe, the farm is expecting a massive expansion.
Whitelee wind farm is located in East Renfrewshire and currently has 140 wind turbines. The current capacity of the farm is 322 megawatts- enough to power 180,000 homes. ScottishPower Renewables, the owner of the farm, is planning to expand the farm by 2012.
Seventy-five wind turbines will be added to the farm in time to have them generating energy by 2012. In total, the new additions will increase the power generation of the farm to 539 megawatts–enough to power 300,000 homes. The wind farm energy capacity will be subsequently increased by more than two-thirds the current levels.
Sixty-nine of the wind turbines will be 3 megawatt capacity turbines and six will be 1.67 megawatt capacity. Despite the title of the largest wind farm in Europe, the Whitelee wind farm has only been generating energy since 2008. The expansion will quickly make Whitelee near the top of the list of the largest wind farms in the world.
