Schneider Electric Projects & Services has won a £720K order to supply all of the 33kV switchgear for Whitelee wind farm in East Kilbride, Scotland. When completed, Whitelee will be the largest onshore wind farm in Europe, with a generating capacity of approximately 322MW, enough to power 200,000 homes, or, nearly every house in Glasgow.
It will comprise 140 2.3MW turbines and will save over half a million tonnes of CO2 annually. Schneider Electric will supply CBGS-O switchgear fitted with Sepam intelligent protection and control units for the main 33kV switchboards and CAS-36 switchgear with delayed closing control units for the sectionalising switchgear. Schneider Electric has extensive experience of the electrical networks and grid connection requirements of wind farms along with products specifically developed for these applications.
Whitelee wind farm will be located on a vast stretch of high ground south of Glasgow following planning approval from the Scottish Executive. It will cover a huge area of moor land and forestry, on a site measuring 7.2 miles by 4.3 miles.