Tuesday 16th September 2025, Edinburgh – Nadara, Europe’s largest independent power producer (IPP) of onshore wind, has today launched a new campaign to raise awareness about the vital importance of onshore wind repowering to create a cleaner UK power system by 2030.

Onshore wind farms – which power approximately 12% of the UK’s total electricity generation – are known to have a ~25-year lifecycle. As the assets near the end of the lifecycle, developers typically have three options – decommissioning the site in its entirety, replacing some components of the same wind turbines through short-term life extension, or repowering the assets to generate long-term renewal of the lifecycle.

Repowering is the only approach that can help the UK reach its Clean Power 2030 target of 27-29 GW of onshore wind by 2030 and 35-37 GW by 2035 – home-grown clean energy that will help the region meet its climate targets and make energy security a reality.

Rather than dismantle a wind farm in its entirety, the repowering process offers a method of upgrading existing sites by completely replacing existing assets with new, more efficient turbines at the same site, often reusing some existing infrastructure. Upgrades can lead to outputs between three and 10 times greater depending on site conditions and turbine type – reducing carbon emissions and securing the UK’s energy supply as demand surges through the 2030s. Repowering can also ensure developers continue to support the UK’s energy requirements, providing consistent, secure energy amid the energy transition.

Launching the campaign at Scottish Renewables and RenewableUK’s Onshore Wind Conference in Edinburgh, Joanna Ellis, Chief Commercial Officer, Nadara, said: “The repowering process is new and isn’t always straightforward, so our campaign is about starting an open conversation with communities about our wind farm upgrades. As a country, we need to meet the 2030 Clean Power ambition, and secure cleaner and reliable energy for decades to come – and repowering will support the UK in doing that.

“As one of the first companies to build wind farms in the UK at the turn of the millennium, we now have some of the oldest wind farms in the country. That means we’re also one of the first to embark on this repowering journey, but we can’t do it on our own. We need our communities – residents, businesses and councillors alike – to come with us. The benefits of repowering reach further than just energy: reduced carbon emissions, training and skills for people, thousands of new jobs and millions of pounds in funding for host communities.

“Over the coming months we’re looking forward to meeting people living near our sites – from Cornwall to the Highlands of Scotland.”

Nadara’s campaign aims to increase awareness and understanding among local communities where wind farms operate and is led by a new video filled with footage of Nadara’s wind farms and communities, demonstrating the benefits of repowering. Benefits include:

  • More home-grown energy: Increasing energy output, reducing carbon emissions and helping secure the UK’s energy supply as demand surges. Repowering Nadara’s ageing wind turbines could generate enough electricity to power an extra 3 million homes across the country.
  • Economic opportunity: Generating up to 27,000 new jobs, bringing enormous opportunity for communities, local businesses and individuals who live near wind farms.
  • Greater efficiency: Increasing the efficiency and overall performance of older wind farms, using modern technology to reduce operational downtime and maintenance costs.
  • Decarbonisation: Sustaining the environment by maximising use of existing sites and reducing impact on new land.
  • Community impact: Offering continued opportunities for shared ownership, local investment and community benefits aligned with latest industry best practice.

The campaign will explain the process in more detail – the technical complexities of planning permissions, design and environmental considerations and policy requirements needed for repowering to happen, and continued involvement from communities living around onshore wind farms in the UK.

With 1GW of installed onshore wind capacity under the Renewables Obligation and home to some of the UK’s oldest wind farms, Nadara is the leading voice of UK onshore wind repowering. Across the UK, Nadara builds, owns and operates wind farms that are generating and delivering dependable and renewable electricity for the benefit of communities.

Harnessing the power of nature for good and making a deeper contribution to the world, Nadara has consistently prioritised environmental and social impact through habitat restoration or community engagement initiatives. Repowering provides an opportunity to further extend this investment to community and to the environment.

Learn more about repowering: https://nadara.com/repowering/

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