Hawthorn Pit Solar Farm
This document from the Department of Business, Industry and Industrial Strategy lists all the Contracts for Difference Allocation Round 6 results for the supply of zero-carbon electricity.
Hawthorn Pit solar farm was given a Contract for Difference.
The solar farm has a web page on the Aura Power web site, where this paragraph describes the solar farm.
Aura Power is working on a solar farm proposal between Murton and South Hetton, with a capacity of up to 49.9MW (Megawatts). The solar farm will be built without subsidy and would generate enough clean electricity to power the equivalent of over 17,000 homes, saving around 15,203 tonnes of CO2 from entering the atmosphere each year.
This Google Map shows the location of Hawthorn Pit.
Note.
- The Durham coast is at the East with Seaham at the North and Horden at the South.
- The A 19 runs North-South in the middle of the map.
- Hawthorn Pit substation is marked by the red arrow.
This second Google Map shows the substation in more detail.
There are a lot of switches and wires.
From the map on the Aura Power web site, it appears that the solar farm is to to the North side of the substation.
Eastern Green Link One
In the future Hawthorn Pit substation will also host the Southern end of Eastern Green Link One, which will be a a 2 GW high voltage direct current (HVDC) electrical superhighway to be built between the Torness area in East Lothian, Scotland and Hawthorn Pit in County Durham, England.
This is number one of four such 2 GW undersea connections that will distribute energy between England and Scotland.
Conclusion
Hawthorn Pit substation could growto an important interchange in the grid.
Cloiche Onshore Wind Farm
This document from the Department of Business, Industry and Industrial Strategy lists all the Contracts for Difference Allocation Round 6 results for the supply of zero-carbon electricity.
The largest onshore wind farm in the Allocation Round, is the Cloiche wind farm, which has this web page,which is entitled Onshore Wind Projects , on the SSE Renewables web site.
It is the only project on the page and these two paragraphs describe its location and capacity.
The proposed 29 turbine Cloiche Wind Farm is located on the Glendoe and Garrogie Estates, adjacent to the operational Stronelairg Wind Farm and Glendoe Hydroelectric Scheme and approximately 11 kilometres (km) to the south-east of Fort Augustus in the Great Glen, in the Monadhliath mountain range.
It is anticipated that the wind farm will generate approximately 130.5MW.
This Google Map shows the location.
Between the village of Fort Augustus and the Stronelairg wind farm, lies the Southern end of Loch Ness.
In the South-East corner of the map, there is a large lake, which is shown in more detail in this Google Map.
This is the Glendoe Reservoir for the Glendoe Hydro Scheme, that was built in the early years of this century, by damming the River Tarff.
The dam is clearly visible at the Western end of the Reservoir.
The Glendoe Hydro Scheme was opened in 2009 and has a generation capacity of 106.5 MW.
The planning and building of the scheme are described in this Wikipedia entry and the entry is well worth a read.
Stronelairg Wind Farm
Stronelairg wind farm, Cloiche wind farm and the Glendoe Hydro Scheme are all projects, that were or will be developed by SSE Renewables.
Stronelairg wind farm has 66 turbines and a total installed capacity of 228 MW.
It has a web page on the SSE Renewables web site.
These two paragraphs describe the location of Stronelairg wind farm.
Stronelairg sits at an elevation of around 600m above sea level in the Moadhliath Mountain range making it one of our windiest wind farms.
It sits within a natural bowl on a plateau, set well back from Loch Ness meaning that no turbines are visible from the main tourist routes in the area. Stronelairg is also located adjacent to our 100MW Glendoe hydro scheme and so the construction teams were able to use the hydro infrastructure as do our operational teams now.
Stronelairg wind farm appears tobe a powerful asset, hidden in the mountains.
Three Co-located Assets
As Cloche wind farm, will be adjacent to the operational Stronelairg Wind Farm and Glendoe Hydroelectric Scheme, these three energy producing assets, will be close together.
- Cloiche wind farm – 130.5 MW
- Stronelairg wind farm – 228 MW
- Glendoe Hydroelectric Scheme – 106.5 MW
Note.
- This is a total power of 465 MW.
- This would be equivalent to a medium-sized gas-fired power station.
- All three assets could use the same grid grid connection and other facilities.
It could be considered a 358.5 MW wind farm, backed by a 106.5 MW hydro power station.
When there is a shortage of wind, the Glendoe Hydroelectric Scheme could step in, if required.
Conclusion
Onshore wind, backed up by hydroelectric schemes would appear to be a good way to create reliable hybrid power stations.
Do any other schemes in Allocation Round 6, involve combining onshore wind with existing hydro schemes?
World’s First Semi-Submersible Floating Offshore Wind Farm Tops Production Expectations
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on offshoreWIND.biz.
This is the sub-heading.
In its four years of operation, the world’s first semi-submersible floating offshore wind farm, WindFloat Atlantic, has surpassed anticipated production figures, achieving a total cumulative output of 320 GWh.
These first three paragraphs give more detail.
Connected to the grid by the end of 2019 and fully commissioned in 2020, the floating offshore wind farm was developed by the Windplus consortium formed by Ocean Winds, a 50:50 joint venture between EDPR and ENGIE, Repsol, and Principle Power.
The pioneer wind farm consists of three platforms, each supporting one 8.4-MW Vestas turbine, which are anchored with chains to the seabed and connected to the onshore substation in the Portuguese municipality of Viana do Castelo through a 20-kilometre cable.
It has been reported that the project’s electricity production has steadily increased each year, reaching 78 GWh in 2022 and 80 GWh in 2023.
It certainly appears that floating wind power, is living up to and above its expectations.
Gluten-Free Chicken Nuggets With Spicy Honey Sauce
Colonel Sanders would have a fit at Leon’s latest recipe.
I regularly eat Leon’s gluten-free chicken nuggets, but today was a first for me, as I had a portion of their latest chicken nuggets in a spicy honey sauce.
They were different, but I quite liked them!
I shall be having them again.
Are Best Before Dates Reliable?
This picture shows one of Marks and Spencer’s gluten-free All Butter Fruit Scones, that has been all dressed up and is ready to eat.
It no longer exists, as I have just eaten it.
It tasted fine, despite having a best before date of the 7th August, 2024.
There Are Only Three Large Offshore Wind Farms In Contracts for Difference Allocation Round 6
This document from the Department of Business, Industry and Industrial Strategy lists all the Contracts for Difference Allocation Round 6 results for the supply of zero-carbon electricity.
The wind farms are.
- Green Volt – 400 MW – Floating – Claims to be “The first commercial-scale floating offshore windfarm in Europe”.
- Hornsea Four – 2,400 MW – Fixed – Ørsted
- East Anglia Two – 963 MW – Fixed – Iberdrola
Is this what misgovernment expected, when they raised the budget in July 2024, as I wrote about in UK Boosts Sixth CfD Auction Budget, Earmarks GBP 1.1 Billion For Offshore Wind.
Perhaps, some developers held back until government policy is clearer?
England’s First Onshore Wind Farm Of A New Generation
This document from the Department of Business, Industry and Industrial Strategy lists all the Contracts for Difference Allocation Round 6 results for the supply of zero-carbon electricity.
There is only one English onshore wind farm listed in the document and it is the 8 MW Alaska Wind Farm in Dorset.
It has its own web site and this is the sub heading.
Alaska is a wind energy project comprising 4 wind turbines that are currently under construction at Masters Quarry in East Stoke, near Wareham, Purbeck. This website aims to update you on progress and provide ways to get in touch with the project team.
This is the introductory paragraph.
Alaska Wind Farm is the first of its kind in the county. Dorset has a limited potential for large-scale onshore wind development due to a variety of environmental and technical constraints, such as landscape designations and grid connection opportunities. Extensive technical assessments undertaken during the planning process have demonstrated that the quarry off Puddletown Road makes an excellent site for a wind farm. At present, all four wind turbines have been installed and the team is working on connecting them to the local electricity network. Grid connection is taking longer than anticipated, but the project team are working with the Distribution Network Operator, SSE Networks, to get the wind farm connected over the summer. Once operational, the amount of green electricity generated is expected to meet the annual demand of up to 5,200 average UK households every year*.
This Google Map shows the site on Puddletown Road.
This second Google Map shows an enlargement of part of the site.
Note that are sixteen segments of wind turbine towers.
This article on the Swanage News is entitled Twenty Year Battle To Build Purbeck Wind Farm Is Finally Over.
It gives full details of the history of the wind farm.
The wind farm and a solar farm, will be surrounded by a new heath.
I particularly like this paragraph.
The new heath is expected to be home to all of Britain’s reptiles, including rare smooth snakes and sand lizards among other animals, as well as threatened butterflies, birds, bats and plants.
Renewable energy doesn’t have to wreck the countryside.I shall be watching how this project develops.
Arriva’s Grand Central Applies For Extended Track Access Rights
The title of this post, is the same as that of this news item from Arriva.
These three bullet points, act as sub-headings.
- Grand Central to submit application to the rail regulator for extended track access up to 2038.
- Proposals for a new, greener fleet are outlined as part of the application.
- Application signals Arriva’s long-term commitment to UK rail.
These three paragraphs add more detail to the application.
Arriva Group’s UK open access train operating company, Grand Central, has today announced it is seeking to extend its existing track access rights until 2038, securing its services for the next 15 years and unlocking Arriva’s intentions to invest in new, state-of-the-art trains.
Grand Central has been operating services on the East Coast mainline since 2007 as an open access operator, which means it receives no government funding or subsidy. It directly links 15 destinations, including cities in Yorkshire and the North East with London’s Kings Cross.
The application represents a significant commitment to long-term services and supports its plans to expand services with improved connectivity and increased frequency, as outlined in a previous application, submitted to the Office of Rail and Road in May this year.
These are my observations and thoughts.
Grand Central’s Current Services
Grand Central currently runs two separate services.
- King’s Cross and Sunderland via Peterborough,York, Thirsk, Northallerton, Eaglescliffe and Hartlepool – six tpd
- King’s Cross and Bradford Interchange via Peterborough, Doncaster, Pontefract Monkhill, Wakefield Kirkgate, Mirfield, Brighouse, Halifax and Low Moor – four tpd
Note.
- tpd is trains per day.
- Weekend services are reduced.
- Peterborough is served by one train in each direction.
Grand Central have applied to run more services.
Distances Without Electrification On Current Services
Only the Northern ends of both routes are not electrified.
- King’s Cross and Sunderland – Longlands junction and Sunderland – 48.5 miles
- King’s Cross and Bradford Interchange – Doncaster and Bradford Interchange – 52.1 miles
Note.
- Going North, any train batteries could be charged on the East Coast Main Line.
- Before returning South, train batteries could need to be charged at the two terminals.
- Battery-electric trains would need infrastructure changes at the two terminals.
The two terminals; Bradford Interchange and Sunderland are not particular spacious.
These pictures show Bradford Interchange station.
And these pictures show Sunderland station, which is underground.
Putting even a short length of catenary to charge battery-electric trains might not be that easy at either station.
Grand Central’s New Trains
Arriva’s news item, gives these details on the new trains.
- Increased capacity: The new trains would feature approximately 20 per cent more seats than the current Class 180 units, providing additional capacity to meet growing passenger demand.
- Modernised fleet: The new Bi-Mode trains would replace the existing 24-year-old Class 180 units bringing new customer focussed features and a more comfortable experience for passengers.
- Greener services: The Bi-mode trains would cut carbon emissions and provide smoother journeys for passengers. They can operate on electric and non-electric tracks, so they can serve long into the future as track electrification gathers pace across the UK.
Note.
- A five-car Class 802 train has approximately twenty percent more seats than a four-car Class 180 train.
- Hull Trains, LNER, Lumo and TransPennine Express all run Hitachi Class 80x trains on the East Coast Main Line, which could ease operations, if all trains were similar.
- Bi-mode trains are specified. Grand Central will change mode once on each trip.
- LNER have specified CAF Tri-mode trains for their new fleet. Will these have an extra level of complication, that Grand Central don’t need?
I suspect that rand Central will opt for the Hitachi trains.
Using The Joint Line Between Peterborough and Doncaster via Lincoln
The diesel Class 180 trains can use this line, in times of incidents or engineering works.
Class 800 and Class 802 trains can also use this diversion, so it might be sensible to be able to use the line in time of trouble.
Chiltern Trains’ London And Birmingham Services
Both Arriva and Chiltern Trains are subsidiaries of Deutsche Bahn.
Currently, Chiltern run six-car rakes of Mark 3 coaches, with a Class 68 locomotive at one end and a driving van trailer at the other, between London and Birmingham.
They are nice trains, but they are not zero-carbon.
Could these be replaced by an eight-car Class 802 train?
- Chiltern have said that they are looking for new trains.
- An eight-car Class 802 train could be a similar length to the current trains.
- London Marylebone and Birmingham Moor Street is only 111.7 miles.
- The Hitachi trains would offer an increase in capacity.
- They might save a few minutes.
But the trains will still be not zero-carbon.
This page on the Hitachi web site is entitled Intercity Battery Trains.
The trains for London Marylebone and Birmingham Moor Street would be built as conventional eight-car Hitachi trains, with perhaps four diesel engines.
- Over the years, the Chiltern Main Line would be partially electrified, starting perhaps in the middle around Banbury.
- One by one, the diesel engines would be replaced by batteries, so that the trains could run on battery power between the electrified sections.
- Eventually, the London Marylebone and Birmingham Moor Street service would be fully battery-electric.
- As Kidderminster is only twenty miles past Birmingham Moor Street, there must surely be possibility for extension of the service.
I believe that Hitachi’s Intercity Battery Train, is going to play a large part in the decarbonisation of UK railways.
Chiltern Trains’ London And Oxford Services
If eight-car Hitachi Intercity Battery Trains can handle London Marylebone and Birmingham Moor Street services, then I am fairly sure that five-car Hitachi Intercity Battery Trains could handle London Marylebone and Oxford services.
They would also have more capacity, than the current trains, that serve Oxford and Bicester Village.
Conclusion
It may be advantageous for Deutsche Bahn to put the two orders together.
The Anonymous Widower 