Case Study – Aviva Perth

Key Data:

Location: Aviva, Pitheavlis, Perth, PH2 0NH
Size: 1 turbine, up to 77m to tip and 1MW capacity
Current Status: Operational (Updated Nov 2024)
Turbine Model: DW61–1MW
Project Owner: Aviva
Project Microsite: www.aviva-renewables.co.uk
Press Releases: Aviva Newsroom
Project Documentation Examples/Excerpts: EIA Environmental Statement Document, EIA Non-Technical Summary Document, Site Plan, Hybrid Event Document, Project Website Document, Virtual Public Engagement Document, ZTV Maps
Council Planning Documents: P&K 2022 Application Index, P&K 2018 Application Index

Company: Aviva plc is a British multinational insurance company, with approximately 33 million customers across 16 countries. In the UK, Aviva is the largest general insurer and a leading life and pensions provider. Aviva is supporting the further use of renewable energy generation via a wind turbine on their Perth site with a view to being 100% supplied by locally generated green energy and becoming an exemplar site for the Aviva Group worldwide. In addition on-site energy storage and other energy reduction technologies to make it a truly sustainable site.

The £3million project was the first development of its kind on one of Aviva’s UK sites, securing energy supply and further progressing their objectives of reducing their worldwide company carbon emissions by 70% by 2030. Aviva were the first carbon neutral international insurer in 2006 and have previously been awarded the United Nations Momentum for Change award in recognition of their efforts reducing their environmental impact and helping inspire action on climate change.

Project Information: As a complex project with a number of stakeholders, Purple Renewables led the development from initial discussions in 2016 and undertook a range of consulting activities for Aviva, including planning support, stakeholder engagement, wind resource analysis, aviation mitigation, technical due diligence, commercial/legal support and environmental studies (EIA) to support the development of this site for the installation of a large wind turbine and an associated site wide energy system. Purple Renewables also supported Aviva in a programme of engagement, including developing an outreach website for the project, social media engagement programme, and also organised/hosted initial public engagement days in July 2018 and a hybrid online and in-person event in January 2022, both of which introduced our plans for on-site energy generation to Aviva employees and the wider general public. More details are available on project documentation excerpts above.

You can find out more about the project on it’s microsite at www.aviva-renewables.co.uk and Aviva’s corporate responsibility plans for carbon reduction here www.aviva.com/social-purpose/environment/

Development Update (Nov 2024): We are pleased to announce that this development was energised in late November 2024 by Aviva CEO Amanda Blanc and First Minister John Swinney! The 1MW turbine, situated on their Pitheavlis site, gained planning consent in 2022 after a number of development challenges due to the sensitivity of their adjacent iconic category A listed Aviva building, considered to have national architectural importance.

Amanda Blanc DBE, Group Chief Executive Officer of Aviva, said: “It’s fantastic to see the new wind turbine in operation. This means our Perth site is now self-generating all of its energy needs, taking Aviva a step closer to our ambition to be Net Zero by 2040. As a major employer in Perth, we’re also proud to support the city’s own Net Zero ambitions, helping the area and its communities get ready for the future. Our colleagues can take great pride in this milestone.”