A wind power project which could provide energy for 175,000 homes has been approved.
Energy Minister Fergus Ewing has granted permission for the Viking wind farm of 103 turbines to be built on Shetland.
The Scottish Government said its construction will create 140 jobs as well as around £30 million in annual income for the local community.
Ministers said the 370-megawatt wind farm is expected to cost £566 million and will be the third biggest in Scotland, powering around 16 times the number of households on Shetland.
Around £20 million of the annual income generated will go to Shetland Charitable Trust which supports community enterprises and skills and training.
The original plan was for 150 turbines to be built but the firm scaled this back to 127 to address concerns from opponents.
However, ministers withheld consent for 24 turbines. Mr Ewing said: "The development will create jobs and bring income and makes the case for an interconnector to connect Shetland for the first time to the National Grid, paving the way for more exports and further renewable energy opportunities for the islands, including community projects and marine energy developments.
"The development includes an extensive habitat management plan covering around 12,800 acres, which will restore peatland and offer benefits to a whole range of species and habitats.
"Last week figures showed Scotland exceeded our ambitious renewable electricity targets for 2011, with more than a third of our electricity demand coming from renewables."
The wind farm is the 50th renewable energy project approved by ministers since May 2007.
Viking Energy represents the renewable energy interests of Shetlands Islands Council and is 90% owned by Shetland Charitable Trust. It is working with SSE Viking, a subsidiary of Scottish and Southern Energy.
RSPB Scotland said it is "disappointed" the construction has not been scaled back further to reduce the risk of harm to rare birds.
Aedan Smith, the charity's head of planning and development, said: "We recognise that Viking Energy has made significant efforts to reduce the direct impact of this development on Shetland's unique wildlife.
"The development will make a welcome contribution to meeting our ambitious renewables targets in Scotland, and will help to meet the challenge of climate change.
"However, the developers and Scottish ministers should have gone much further to try and ensure that any negative consequences would be minimised, and it is disappointing that they have decided to risk the Shetland environment, as well as birds like whimbrel, with such a large-scale proposal in their heartland."
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