The CEO of SSE has emphasized the urgent need for the UK to expedite the establishment of essential infrastructure to meet its net-zero targets.

This call to action coincided with the announcement of the successful completion of two major projects in the Shetland Islands, which includes the installation of a subsea cable that connects the islands to Britain’s national electricity grid for the first time.

With the Shetland Islands being home to 500,000 residents, the region, recognized as one of the windiest in the UK, is set to be powered by locally sourced renewable energy through the new Viking onshore wind farm, a project that has been in the pipeline for over two decades.

Alistair Phillips-Davies, SSE’s chief executive, described the projects as “significant engineering milestones,” adding that they represent a crucial advancement in the UK’s transition towards a clean energy system.

However, he cautioned that the UK must hasten the implementation of such projects to achieve its sustainability objectives.

“The journey from concept to completion has spanned nearly 20 years. If we are serious about generating clean energy by 2030 — which is less than 2,000 days away — we must streamline and expedite the construction of this vital infrastructure,” he remarked.

Previously, the islands relied on two power stations for their electricity supply. The new facilities not only promise a more eco-friendly energy source but also enhance supply security through a reliable link to the mainland.

Scottish First Minister John Swinney hailed the initiatives as a “major step” in realizing the green energy potential of the Shetland Islands, stating, “These developments will not only assist us in decarbonizing our energy infrastructure but also promote sustainable economic growth in the area.”

SSE has committed £1 billion to these projects, which contribute to the company’s broader strategy of investing £20.5 billion into clean energy infrastructure across the UK by 2027.

With the launch of the new wind farm, the UK has surpassed a combined onshore and offshore wind capacity of over 30GW, sufficient to meet the annual energy consumption of 26 million households.

The Shetland wind facility is anticipated to become the UK’s most efficient wind farm. Initial site preparation began in 2002, with planning permission obtained from the Scottish government in 2012, and actual construction commencing in 2020.

The new Labour government has facilitated the establishment of more onshore wind farms by reversing previous planning restrictions that complicated land-based wind development. Energy Secretary Ed Miliband stated, “Activating Viking, the largest onshore wind farm in the UK, will provide cost-effective, domestically produced energy to hundreds of thousands of homes in Shetland and throughout the country, while also fostering job creation and growth for local communities.”

“This illustrates the need for further projects of this nature to transform Britain into a clean energy powerhouse — which is why we lifted the ban on onshore wind farms within our first 72 hours in office,” he concluded.