Laura Young, aka #LessWasteLaura is on a personal journey to try and live an environmentally conscious lifestyle and advocate for environmental education and climate justice.
One of the major causes of climate change is how we create and consume energy. We already know that bold steps are needed to address the climate crisis, but the recent IPCC report makes it clear that human behaviour is driving unprecedented changes to our planet’s atmosphere.
In order to reach net-zero within the timescales needed that the need to move from fossil fuel solution to renewables is absolutely critical.
Prior to COP26 in 2021 #LessWasteLaura went on a journey to discover more about the future of energy, why COP26 was so important to our planet and the importance of onshore wind in the energy transition and the net zero debate.
Travelling just 16 miles from the middle of Glasgow, the city that hosted the most important climate conference the world has ever seen in COP26, stands Whitelee, the UK’s largest onshore windfarm.
The windfarm is big, it actually spans 3 council areas and currently has 8 different landowners. It produces enough electricity to power 350,000 homes, practically every home in Glasgow and now plays a vital role in the UK’s wind generation.
Catch up with Laura as she visits some very interesting places on her journey and meets the inspirational ScottishPower Renewables experts to help you understand more about Whitelee, it’s people and how Whitelee transformed from a pretty desolate moorland area to a 21st Century energy park.
NET ZERO
On her trip around Whitelee Windfarm, Laura joins ScottishPowers Head of Climate Change and Sustainability, Dr. Sam Gardiner.
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WHITELEE WINDFARM CONSTRUCTION
Laura meets with the original Whitelee Project Manager, Stuart Mason, and discovers how the windfarm came to be.
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WHITELEE OPERATIONS & MAINTENANCE
Laura finds out from Joe and Mark what keeps the turbines turning.
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BATTERY ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEMS
Continuing round Whitelee, Laura talks with Yusuf and Joaquín to find out more about the futuristic battery development happening there.
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ONSHORE WIND
Deep into the windfarm Laura discusses all things development and policy with Fiona and Richard.
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ECOLOGY & PEATLAND RESTORATION
SPR’s ecologists Catriona and Rachel take Laura through all the nature, biodiversity and peatland restoration works at Whitelee.
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WHITELEE VISITOR CENTRE
A well earned break from cycling! Laura chats over a coffee with Siobhan about the popularity of Whitelee within the community, finds out from Kate all the Whitelee Ranger activities and takes the electric bus trip with Stuart.
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SPR FUTURE
On the final leg of her trip around Whitelee, Laura meets with ScottishPower Renewables CEO, Lindsay McQuade, to discuss the future of ScottishPower Renewables.
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