Aberarder
Project overview
The Aberarder Wind Farm project is located in Strathnairn near Inverness, on a natural plateau at an average of 700m above sea level. It will sit directly adjacent to the operational 94MW Dunmaglass Wind Farm, which is jointly owned by SSE Renewables and Greencoat UK Wind.
The project was developed by RES and consented by The Highland Council in April 2017. The consent allows for the construction of a 12-turbine onshore wind farm, with each turbine having a maximum tip height of up to 130m and is expected to have an export capacity of 49.9MW. SSE Renewables reached an agreement with RES to acquire Aberarder in October 2022.
In September 2023 Aberarder was successful in the UK’s fifth Contract for Difference (CfD) Allocation Round and was awarded a 15-year contract for low carbon power generation. SSE took a final investment decision to proceed with Aberarder Wind Farm, in a circa £100m investment in May 2024, construction is scheduled to begin before the end of 2024 with completion scheduled for the end of 2026.
Our focus is now on building strong and meaningful relationships with the local community surrounding the Aberarder Wind Farm. As a responsible developer and operator, we are looking forward to working closely with the community in surrounding area to fully realise the benefits of this exciting project.
Aberarder at a glance
Number of turbines
Maximum installed capacity (MW)
Approximate number of homes powered
Once completed, Aberarder will be capable of generating enough green energy to power almost 50,000 homes annually and offset over 1.5 million tonnes of carbon dioxide over its expected 35-year lifetime, helping contribute to Scotland and the UK achieving further energy security and meeting net zero carbon emission targets.
The Aberarder wind farm will make an important contribution to the delivery of SSE plc’s Net Zero Acceleration Programme Plus, a fully funded five-year investment plan to 2027 which will see the Group invest £18bn or almost £10m a day on average on critical national infrastructure. This plan includes increasing SSE Renewables’ net capacity from 4GW currently to more than 9GW, with around 3GW currently under construction.
Aberarder Community Information Day