OnPath Energy (renewable energy developer) has struck an option agreement with family-owned Scottish firm Wilson Forest Products (renewable energy company) to develop three onshore wind farms in South Lanarkshire, advancing the renewables developer's plans to invest around USD 1.34 billion across southern Scotland over the next five years.

Three Sites, 121MW of Combined Capacity

The agreement covers the Bankend Rig II, Bankend Rig III, and Hawkwood Wind Farm projects, which together comprise 18 turbines with a combined capacity of 121 megawatts.

OnPath Energy says that output is sufficient to meet the annual electricity needs of around 150,000 homes. All three sites lie to the south west of OnPath's existing Kype Muir Wind Farm in South Lanarkshire.

The option agreement gives OnPath Energy the right, subject to certain project milestones and conditions being met, to acquire a majority stake in all three projects.

Planning consents for Bankend Rig II and Bankend Rig III were secured by Wilson Forest Products in 2025. The Hawkwood Wind Farm proposal has more recently been approved by South Lanarkshire Council, subject to the conclusion of satisfactory legal agreements.

An Established Working Relationship

The two companies have previously collaborated on OnPath Energy's nearby Mill Rig Wind Farm, which is adjacent to the three new projects and expected to be fully operational later this year.

Wilson Forest Products director Stuart Beattie cited that prior history as a foundation for the new arrangement, pointing specifically to the Middle Muir and Kype Extension Wind Farms as examples of projects the two organizations have brought forward together.

"OnPath Energy is a well-respected renewable energy developer with an impressive track record in Scotland and a clear strategy for increasing its investment in both South Lanarkshire and the wider Scottish economy," Beattie said.

"This agreement builds on that success; they know our community well, and the additional resources and expertise they will bring to these projects will enable them to be delivered with maximum efficiency."

A Milestone Toward 500MW in Southern Scotland

Robin Winstanley, sustainability and community director at OnPath Energy, said the conclusion of the agreement would take the company's presence in southern Scotland beyond 500 megawatts. He described the three projects as being "of the highest quality" and situated in an area the company knows well.

"New onshore wind farms will create jobs, improve security of energy supply and help reduce consumer electricity bills in the long term," Winstanley said. "Working together with partners in the region, we will invest hundreds of millions of pounds directly into local communities through the robust supply chain of excellent local businesses."

The company says hundreds of Scottish jobs will be generated through its broader southern Scotland investment program, and that the region functions as a renewables powerhouse exporting energy across the UK.

Part of a Broader UK Expansion

OnPath Energy chief executive Richard Dunkley framed the South Lanarkshire deal within a wider growth strategy that spans project types, technologies and geographies.

The company says it is looking to identify opportunities at every stage of the development lifecycle, from pre-construction through to operational wind farms and project repowering.

"Alongside developing our own renewable generation projects from first principles, we are also looking to identify other opportunities at every stage of the lifecycle, from pre-construction right through to operational wind farms and project repowering," Dunkley said. He described the USD 1.34 billion southern Scotland commitment as central to OnPath's drive toward becoming the UK's leading renewable energy developer.

Beyond Scotland, the company acquired the Pates Hill Wind Farm in West Lothian last year and says it expects to bring forward several major new development proposals in England this year. It is also exploring potential new project locations across Scotland, England, and Wales.

Brookfield Backing Underpins Investment Scale

OnPath Energy is owned by Brookfield Asset Management, which the company describes as the world's largest dedicated transition investor and a leading global investment firm.

Brookfield has over 46,000 megawatts of operating renewable energy capacity worldwide, a financial backing that underpins OnPath's capacity to commit to the scale of investment outlined in the southern Scotland program.

The three new South Lanarkshire wind farms add to a pipeline that already includes the Mill Rig project nearing completion, and represent a continuation of the company's strategy of building out its portfolio in a region where it has established both operational infrastructure and community relationships through previous development work.

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