New wind farm to provide up to a third of Sainsbury’s electricity

The completion of a new wind farm in Scotland could provide up to a third of Sainsbury’s electricity.

The farm will add up to 50 megawatts (MW) of electrical capacity to the grid in the form of renewable energy that will be used to power Sainsbury’s stores, offices and depots nationwide.

The supermarket giant signed an agreement to buy 100% of the electricity generated at Longhill Burn Wind Farm when it was under construction in 2021, and its commitment to the future of the site will see it invest millions of pounds in the renewable energy it produces over the next 15 years.

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The farm in West Lothian features a total of eight wind turbines which provide a maximum output of between 6-6.4 MW, making them the largest and most powerful onshore wind turbines available in the UK.

When all the turbines are operating at maximum capacity, they will provide enough electricity to supply up to 33% of Sainsbury’s total electricity needs.

Over the course of a full year, they are expected to produce around 150,000 MWh of electricity – enough to power over 2.8m standard LED lightbulbs continuously.

This marks the seventh wind farm from which Sainsbury’s now buys 100% of the energy generated, with an eighth site expected to go live next year.

Sainsbury’s director of property, procurement and EV ventures, Patrick Dunne, said: “We’re very proud to be investing in this state-of-the-art, sustainable source of new wind power, featuring the largest, most cutting-edge onshore turbines available in the UK. Now it’s completed, Longhill Burn Wind Farm can begin to realise its full potential, helping us take another massive step towards reducing our reliance on carbon.

“Sainsbury’s was the first UK retailer to start directly purchasing wind power for use in its estate back in 2008. Our commitment to the future of Longhill Burn Wind Farm, which both enabled its construction and guaranteed its long-term viability, builds on our proven track record of investing in sustainable technologies.”