University of the Highlands and Islands and RWE Renewables Management UK Limited KTP 24_25 R4

Wind farms in the Scottish Highlands sit on peatland, and building them can damage this carbon-rich soil. This project will test new ways to restore and protect peat on RWE’s onshore wind farm sites, using full lifecycle case studies to see how disturbed peat can be reused rather than wasted. Peatlands store vast amounts of carbon, and their destruction releases greenhouse gases. Renewable energy development has often conflicted with this climate goal. The project aims to create practical guidelines that let wind energy expansion proceed without undermining peatland carbon storage or biodiversity. If successful, the guidelines could become a standard for balancing renewable energy infrastructure with peatland conservation across the UK. This would affect something most people never see: the soil beneath wind turbines. Better peat management means wind farms can claim a truer carbon benefit, and developers gain a replicable method for avoiding environmental damage. The research is applied and industry-focused—it will produce immediately usable techniques, not fundamental science.