Scotland wind farm opposed by Trump generates first power

A Scottish wind farm that President Trump personally lobbied against went live on Tuesday, generating the first power that will be used to fuel the area near Trump’s Aberdeenshire golf course.

The offshore wind turbine farm, called the European Offshore Wind Deployment Center, was developed by a Swedish energy group, according to the BBC, and features the most powerful wind energy turbines in the world. 

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Trump has long been against the project, which was constructed near his golf course, even fighting unsuccessfully all the way to Great Britain’s highest court to block it.

“We have overcome major engineering and technical challenges to achieve first power on the cutting edge EOWDC thanks to the collective expertise of Vattenfall, and our contractors,” project director Adam Ezzamel told the BBC.

“Our priority now is to fully commission the wind farm safely throughout the summer.”

Trump turned his attention to the wind farm project during his 2016 campaign when he formed an alliance with Nigel Farage, the leader of Britain’s U.K. Independence Party famous for his anti-immigration and anti-European Union views.

The president reportedly urged Farage to campaign against the project and other wind farms in Scotland, which Trump believes are negatively affecting the landscape.

“[Trump] is dismayed that his beloved Scotland has become overrun with ugly wind farms which he believes are a blight on the stunning landscape,” said Andy Wigmore, who was present for a meeting between Trump and Farage in 2016.

“It is clear that it is an issue he is very passionate about and not because he is against renewable energy or green technology but because he genuinely thinks wind farms are damaging Scotland’s natural beauty.”