Scotland's green ambitions boosted by BT and ScottishPower tie-up

BT and ScottishPower have agreed a strategic partnership to help power Scotland’s “green economic growth”.

The tie-up will see the telecoms giant deliver a wide range of connectivity services to Glasgow-based ScottishPower, securely connecting the latter’s “hard-to-reach” rural sites, including wind farms.

The contract, which will provide bespoke telecommunications services to some 100 locations across the UK, France, and Germany, will enable ScottishPower to “future-proof” its IT network.

Alan Lees, director for BT’s enterprise business in Scotland, said: “We understand critical national services and like ScottishPower, we also want to power Scotland’s green economic growth. We are therefore delighted that ScottishPower has trusted and awarded us with this multi-million pound contract as the provider of choice to run its national infrastructure.

“At BT, we pride ourselves on offering unrivalled, robust and reliable network solutions for our customers including ubiquitous connectivity in hard to reach rural sites.”

BT’s connectivity will aid ScottishPower’s operational technology on its wind farms allowing controllers to monitor areas such as turbine temperature, operating efficiency and the amount of electricity being produced by the site.

The company’s ambitious growth plans include expansion of its existing onshore wind portfolio, investment in new, large-scale solar projects and innovative battery storage systems. The strategic partnership will facilitate that growth in capacity.

BT Group buys 100 per cent of its energy from renewable resources including Scottish wind farms. It also plans to accelerate “responsible, inclusive and sustainable growth” over the next decade as part of its aim to achieve net zero carbon emissions from its operations by 2030.

Allan Ferguson, UK director of infrastructure, operations and communications at ScottishPower with Alan Lees, director for BT’s enterprise business in Scotland at Whitelee wind farm in Eaglesham. Picture: Stewart Robertson

Allan Ferguson, UK director of infrastructure, operations and communications at ScottishPower, said: “ScottishPower is at the forefront of the delivery of the UK’s net zero targets and the transition to a more sustainable future.

“As we grow our renewable energy generation, investing in more wind farms, battery storage and green hydrogen production facilities, IT needs to ensure it supports the business growth and BT is helping us achieve that by helping to future-proof the IT network. I look forward to working with BT in delivering this strategic award.”

ScottishPower is owned by Spanish parent company Iberdrola.