SSE Invests £2.5bn to Double Renewable Energy

UK-based utility Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE) plans to invest £2.5bn to double generation from renewable sources by 2013, as it moves to hit UK energy policy targets.

The company, which this month passed its 2,000MW milestone for generating electricity from renewable sources, has set a new target of 4,000MW for 2013 in the UK and Ireland.

SSE, which recently took over UK company Airtricity Holdings, says the acquisition has given the company a "stronger platform" from which to deliver renewable energy in the UK, Ireland, Europe and China.

"Our aim to grow our renewable energy capacity so significantly by 2013 is realistic and achievable, but is inevitably subject to the maintenance of a policy and planning framework that recognises the scale of the climate change and energy security challenges which we will face in the coming years," says SSE CEO Ian Marchant.

SSE has recently undertaken commissioning work at a number of wind farms and expects its future portfolio to comprise almost 1,500MW of hydro electric schemes; 2,000MW of onshore wind farms; over 250MW of offshore wind farms and around 250MW of waste-to-energy and biomass developments.

The company also has a 50 percent stake in a 840MW combined cycle gas turbine power station at near Southampton, England, due to be in commercial operation in time for winter 2009-10.

The UK's policy of securing future supply levels and tackling climate change is in line with EU target of generating 20 percent of energy from renewable sources by 2020.

By Ozge Ibrahim