First minister Alex Salmond formally opened the 28-turbine wind farm at Mark Hill and the 60-turbine site at Arecleoch near Barrhill in South Ayrshire. Both run by Scottish Power Renewables that now claims 1GW of renewable energy capacity in the UK, including Europe's largest onshore wind farm, Whitelee, near Glasgow.

Salmond claims Scotland is on track to generate 100% of its electricity from renewables by 2020,  7GW capacity already installed or under construction which means the country will exceed its target of meeting 31% of electricity use in 2011 from renewables.

Statkraft of Norway has also decided to construct Baillie Wind Farm in Caithness, Scotland (where the consent allows 21 wind turbines, and a maximum capacity of 52.5 MW) as well as at Sweden's Mörttjärnberget Wind Farm in Sweden, both to be completed in 2013 and strengthen Statkraft's position as European leader in renewable energy and contributes to combating climate change.

Both wind farms will be built and operated in cooperation with local partners. Statkraft's total investment is expected to amount to approximately €250m. Both will have a combined average annual generation of approximately 450 GWh.

"We are very pleased with the decision to invest in these projects, delivering growth within a key strategic focus area. In addition, land-based wind power is environmentally sustainable and contributes in the transition to a low-carbon future energy supply," says Christian Rynning-Tønnesen, President and CEO of Statkraft.

Statkraft already owns and operates three wind farms in Norway, one each in Sweden and Wales and a number of wind power projects developing in Norway, Sweden and in the UK.

In partnership with Statoil, it is in to construct the 317MW Sheringham Shoal offshore wind farm off the English coast, and granted a license to develop Europe's largest offshore wind zone Dogger Bank (9 GW) as a part of the Forewind consortium.

Girvan gets biomass first
The new wood pellet and biomass power plant at Girvan for low carbon energy company Land Energy is a UK first for wood pelleting with a special type of power turbine which runs on waste heat, are being brought together.

The new facility is being built on the site of a former textile factory and will generate enough wood pellets to provide sufficient heat energy for up to 15,000 homes.  Timber used in production process will be supplied locally from Scottish commercial forestry, ensuring sustainability of this source of renewable energy.

Lagan Construction will undertake all the civil, structural and building works required to adapt the site including the conversion of three existing buildings which are being re-used as part of the new processing plant. Work will be delivered in two phases beginning in early July with completion in March 2012.

Waters of Leith get flashflood attention
The contract is one in a series deals for Lagan, (currently working on its cement alternative fuels). This month City of Edinburgh Council chose Lagan Construction to deliver £11.5m of flood defences in its battle to prevent flash flooding of a 2.5K stretch of the Water of Leith.