Navantia UK powers its UK yards with community-owned green energy from the Hebrides
Arnish, Methil and Appledore switch to 100% certified renewable electricity linked to the UK’s largest community-owned wind farm, meaning every Navantia UK site now runs on green power
Navantia UK has switched its Arnish, Methil and Appledore yards to 100% certified renewable electricity, supplied by Engie and generated in partnership with the community-owned Point and Sandwick Trust on the Isle of Lewis.
The new supply is linked to Beinn Ghrideag, the UK’s largest community-owned wind farm, which sits just over two miles from Navantia UK’s Arnish yard near Stornoway. With the latest agreement in place, every Navantia UK site, including Belfast, now runs on certified renewable electricity.
The switch will cut the combined carbon emissions of the three yards by 28%, a significant step towards Navantia’s commitment to reach Scope 1 and 2 carbon neutrality by 2040. All renewable supply under the new contract is backed by Renewable Energy Guarantees of Origin (REGO) certification.
The agreement also keeps the benefit of that spending close to home. The Point and Sandwick Trust is a community-owned charity that reinvests all of its profits from Beinn Ghrideag back into the Western Isles, funding local facilities, employment, education, environmental projects and measures to tackle fuel poverty. By drawing its electricity through this route, Navantia UK is directly supporting the communities around its Arnish yard, an area recognised within the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation.
The decision reflects Navantia UK’s ambitions in the regions where it operates, pairing investment in advanced manufacturing with real social and environmental value.
Donato Martínez, CEO of Navantia UK, said:
“This is the right decision for our business, for the environment and for the communities where we operate. As we continue to invest in our UK yards and transform them into some of the most modern shipbuilding and fabrication facilities in Europe, we want the way we power them to reflect the values that underpin that investment.
“What makes this agreement particularly special is its local impact. The renewable electricity powering our Arnish yard is generated just a few miles away by a community-owned wind farm, meaning that the benefits of our energy use are helping to support jobs, facilities and opportunities across the Western Isles.
“Navantia UK is committed to building a more sustainable future, not only through the ships and infrastructure we deliver, but through the way we operate every day. This agreement is another important step on that journey.”
Dr Calum MacDonald, Founder and Director of Point and Sandwick Trust, said:
“We can take great pride that our community-owned turbines are not just going to be supplying green energy to Arnish, a yard that has been an iconic centre of employment in the Hebrides since the 1970s, but that we will also be supplying the majority of power consumed at Navantia yards across Britain.
“The scale of our output and our ability to win such contracts in a highly competitive market may surprise some but I hope it demonstrates that community energy can deliver and compete on the big stage. We are grateful to Navantia and our sales partner, Engie, in working with us to deliver this contract. I hope that it encourages other communities in the UK to also raise their ambitions so that we can release the full potential of community-owned green power across the whole country.”
Energy Minister Michael Shanks said: “After two fossil fuel crises in just five years, it is clear: businesses like Navantia UK are turning to clean, homegrown power – not just because it’s better for the climate, but because it lowers their bills and drives growth.
“This is what the clean power mission looks like in practice: British industry powered by Hebridean wind, and the benefits flowing back to the communities that generate that power.”
The Point and Sandwick Trust already supplies local organisations including Stornoway Port Authority and Essence of Harris and continues to grow its customer base across Scotland.
