RWE: launch of a research project integrating peatland restoration into renewable energy projects

RWE is launching a two-year research project on the management and restoration of peatlands as part of the development of its renewable energy projects, the German energy group announced in London on 24 July 2026. The initiative forms part of the company’s strategy to reconcile sustainable energy production with the preservation of natural ecosystems.

The project, based in Inverness (Scotland), is based on a partnership between RWE and the University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI) through a Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP). Jointly funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), it aims to investigate methods for managing excavated peat in order to optimise its reintegration into peatland restoration operations. Peatlands, which act as natural carbon sinks, cover a quarter of the country’s land area, but 75 per cent of them are degraded.

“I am excited to be taking on my new role as KTP Associate / Peatland Management and Restoration Officer at RWE and UHI. My work will focus on optimising the management of peat excavated during the construction of wind farms. Scotland’s…