Ørsted In Talks To Sell Half Of Huge UK Wind Farm To Apollo
The title of this post, is the same as that as this article in The Times.
This is the sub-heading.
The US investment giant is eyeing a 50 per cent stake in the Danish energy company’s £8.5 billion Hornsea 3 project off the Yorkshire coast
These are the first three paragraphs, which add more detail.
An American investment giant is negotiating a deal to buy half of what will be the world’s largest off-shore wind farm off the coast of Yorkshire from the troubled Danish energy company Ørsted.
New York-based Apollo, which oversees assets of about $840 billion, is in talks with Ørsted about acquiring a 50 per cent stake in Hornsea 3, an £8.5 billion project that started construction in 2023 and will be capable of powering more than three million UK homes.
A transaction would be a boost for Orsted, which has come under pressure in recent months from rising costs and a backlash against renewables in the United States by President Trump. Orsted started the process of selling a stake in Hornsea 3 in 2024 and said last month that it had an unnamed preferred bidder for the asset, which the Financial Times first reported was Apollo.
I have written several times about Ørstedregularly building a large wind farm and then selling it, so they must be doing something right.
In World’s Largest Wind Farm Attracts Huge Backing From Insurance Giant, I wrote about how Aviva bought Hornsea 1 from Ørsted.
One of the guys at Aviva explained that these sort of investments gave the right sort of cash flow to fund insurance risks and pensions.
Now that Trump has attempted to give his kiss of death to wind power in the United States, will US funds be looking for quality investments like Hornsea 3 in the UK and other large wind farms in France, Germany, Norway, Japan and Korea?
Already, Blackrock are investing billions to build a massive data centre at Blyth, where there are Gigawatts of offshore wind power and an interconnector to Norway, so that UK and Norwegian wind can be backed up by UK nuclear and Norwegian hydropower.
Highview Power And Ørsted
I wrote Highview Power, Ørsted Find Value In Integrating Offshore Wind With Liquid Air Energy Storage in November 2023.
I would have thought, that by now a battery would have been announced in one of Ørsted’s many projects.
I asked Google AI if Highview Power and Ørsted were still talking about liquid air energy storage and received this reply.
Yes, Highview Power and Ørsted are still actively involved in Liquid Air Energy Storage (LAES), having completed a joint study in late 2023 on combining LAES with offshore wind to benefit the UK grid, and the findings were presented to the government for its long-duration energy storage (LDES) consultation. They believe LAES can reduce wind curtailment, increase energy productivity, and support grid resilience, with potential projects aligned with offshore wind farm timelines.
Perhap’s Ørsted are getting their finances aorted first?
Conclusion
The Times They Are A-Changing!
Plan For England’s Largest Wind Farm ‘Scaled Back’
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the BBC.
This is the sub-heading.
Plans for the largest onshore wind farm in England have been scaled back by a developer.
These two introductory paragraphs add more details.
Calderdale Energy Park said it would apply for permission to build 41 turbines instead of the 65 originally planned on land near Hebden Bridge in West Yorkshire.
A consultation period has now begun and people have been invited to submit their views on the project over the next six weeks.
Note.
- The number of wind turbines has been reduced by 37 %.
- Are the turbines now larger?
- In another paragraph, the developers say the solar element has been removed.
- Batteries, which I feel are essential to smooth the output of wind farms, are not mentioned.
Given comments by Stop Calderdale Wind Farm about peat bogs, there will be a large fight over building this wind farm.
Zenobē Lands Financing For 400MW Eccles Project
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Solar Power Portal.
This is the sub-heading.
Battery energy storage system (BESS) developer/operator Zenobē has announced that it has successfully financed its Eccles BESS project in Scotland, in one of the biggest finance rounds in European history.
These two paragraphs add more details.
The total debt raised for the 400MW/800MWh project was £220 million, which the company says is one of the largest finance raises for a standalone BESS project ever made in Europe. The funding was provided by a group of lenders organised by National Westminster Bank and KKR Capital Markets Partners LLP. Additionally, Zenobē has announced that construction on the Eccles BESS—the company’s largest battery project to date—has begun.
The Eccles BESS is the final part of the firm’s £750 million investment in Scotland. Zenobē’s Blackhillock BESS, a 200MW/400MWh project located near Inverness, recently began commercial operations, and is set to expand to 300MW/600MWh later this year.
Zenobe seem to be able to finance these projects, without too much difficulty.
Construction seems to have started. But then, I suspect there are wind turbines in the vScottish Borders already lined up to use the batteries.
This Google Map shows an Eccles substation.
Note.
- The Eccles substation is marked by the red arrow.
- The town at the East edge of the map is Coldstream.
- The England-Scotland border is clearly marked.
This second Google Map shows a closer view of the Eccles substation.
Note.
- t looks to be a substantial substation.
- There would appear to be plenty of space for a large battery.
- It is close to the A 597 road for the delivery of heavy equipment.
I suspect this substation could be the location of the battery.
It’s also right in the heart of Scottish onshore wind territory.
It is also according to the Solar Power Portal a £220 million project.
A project of this size will deliver substantial benefits in terms of work to the local community.
It will likely have a community benefit fund or something similar.
So you would expect the project would be welcomed into the local area.
But you would be wrong, if this article on the BBC, which is entitled Village ‘Heart Ripped Out’ By Battery Site Plans, is typical of the feeling about the batteries.
This is the sub-heading.
A rural community in the Borders is warning that Scotland’s renewable energy revolution is coming at a cost.
These three paragraphs add more detail.
Residents of Leitholm – a village between Coldstream and Greenlaw – claim the heart is being ripped out of their community with the arrival of battery storage facilities.
If all six proposed facilities are approved, more than 200 acres of farmland will be turned over to concreted compounds within a three-kilometre radius of their village.
Retired nursery owner Seonaid Blackie said: “This is not the place it used to be – people are worried sick.”
The residents view is balanced by industry expert Professor John Irvine, from St Andrew’s University, believes energy storage has a vital role to play in reaching net-zero targets.
My view is what is needed is an energy storage system, that can be built substantially underground.
If you look at large Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS), they are best described as container parks.
We need energy storage systems, that fit in a single tennis court, rather than thirty football pitches.
Gravitricity is one possibility, who are also Scottish, who store energy using weights in disused mine shafts.
The French system; DELPHY is also a vertical system for storing hydrogen in a custom-built hole.
Practically, I believe the solution adopted will be to spread the batteries out and spend money on surrounding them with trees and other camouflage.
The Areas Where Labour Wants To Build Onshore Wind Farms, Mapped
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on inews.
This is the sub-heading.
Ten onshore wind projects have been proposed to help keep UK on track to have at least 95 per cent clean power by 2030.
This is the first paragraph.
The Government is bracing for its biggest nimby battle yet as onshore wind farm companies work on a flurry of proposals after an effective ban on development was lifted in England.
I suggest you take the time to read the well-written informative article, if you are worried about onshore wind farms being parked on the hill behind your house.
The first ten are provocative and there is a map of their locations, which are mainly in Scotland and Wales, on the Pennines and in Lincolnshire.
This paragraph in the article, quotes government data on the cost of various forms of energy.
They estimate that over the entire course of a project’s life, onshore wind costs £38 per mega watt hour of energy, compared to £44 for offshore and £41 for solar. Gas, meanwhile, is £114, while nuclear is £128.
I don’t have any other real data, but it does appear that floating offshore wind farms have a higher capacity factor, which should tip the cost comparison back in its favour.
But I do suspect that Ed Miliband will use these figures to increase the amount of onshore wind in the ?UK and especially n England.
As larger turbines are being tested by the Chinese and Siemens, I suspect too, that we’ll see larger turbines installed onshore.
I also believe as a Control Engineer, that as the number of large turbines increases, we will see more energy storage built alongside wind farms.
Iarnród Éireann Looks At Diesel Loco Replacement Options
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Railway Gazette.
These three paragraphs introduce the article.
The Stadler Class 99 electro-diesel locomotive for UK operator GB Railfreight was receiving close scrutiny from Iarnród Éireann at InnoTrans in Berlin, with the Irish national operator confirming to Railway Gazette International that it had discussed with the manufacturer how the type might be adapted for operation in Ireland.
Iarnród Éireann Chief Executive Jim Meade told Railway Gazette International ‘we will eventually need to replace our aging diesel fleet with dual-mode locomotives because our freight strategy will take us down that direction after we complete our electrification programme.
‘The replacement for the class 071s and 201s eventually will have to be a bi-mode electric with some form of HVO [renewable diesel fuel] traction in the long term; even the Class 201s are beyond mid-life already.
The Class 99 locomotive is a version of the Stadler Eurodual locomotive, which is described in this Stadler data sheet.
The Wikipedia entry for the Stadler Euro Dual is also informative and lists a dozen different versions of the locomotive, that have been sold to various countries and operators.
This paragraph summarises how the design can handle different gauges and electrical voltages.
The Euro Dual was designed from the onset as a highly modular platform, allowing it to be offered to customers in various different configurations, covering various gauges and voltage systems.
I doubt Stadler would have great difficulty producing an Irish gauge locomotive capable of running on whatever electrification, the Irish erect.
Will The Irish Class 99 Have Enough Power?
The power of the various diesel locomotives are as follows.
- Current Irish Class 071 – 1.68 MW
- Current Irish Class 201 – 2.4 MW
- UK Class 66 – 2.4 MW
- UK Class 99 – 1.79 MW
It would appear that the Class 99 is less powerful than the Irish Class 201 and the UK Class 66, but the Wikipedia entry for the Class 99 says this.
The chief executive of GBRf, John Smith, reports that the Class 99, despite having a less powerful diesel engine than the Class 66, will outperform the Class 66 at low speeds. The greater tractive effort means that the Class 99 on diesel power can deliver more power at the rail than the 66.
But as the Class 99 has 6.17 MW in electric mode, the solution must be to electrify the difficult sections.
I have just looked at the Felixstowe Branch Line, which will be very much Class 99 territory. I am fairly sure, that with some short lengths of electrification on the single-track sections, any performance problems with the Class 99 on the branch could be solved.
Could The Irish Class 99 Use Hydrogen As Secondary Power?
This OpenRailwayMap shows all the railways on the island of Ireland.
Note.
- All railways on the island of Ireland have an Irish gauge of 1.6 m.
- Only the DART in Dublin is electrified with 1,500 VDC overhead.
- There are 2,733 km. of track.
- New lines are still being added and old ones have been reopened in recent years.
- There will surely be pressure for the Irish to decarbonise their railways, both North and South of the Northern Irish border.
- There are no rail connections to another country, except for the link between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, which is between two similar systems.
- It is unlikely, that there will ever be a rail link between the Irish gauge railways on the island of Ireland and the standard gauge railways of Europe.
Effectively, the island of Ireland has an isolated network of tracks on which they could build a zero-carbon railway system.
- Signalling could be an off-the-shelf digital system.
- Zero-carbon traction power could be trains powered by either electricity and/or hydrogen.
- Both electricity and hydrogen would need substantial amounts of new rolling stock.
- Electricity would require electrification at €1,000,000 per single track kilometer, which could be around €5.5 billion for the electrification alone.
- Electrification would also need many bridges, stations and tunnels to be modified or rebuilt.
- Hydrogen would need a refuelling infrastructure and could go anywhere that diesel can.
- Hydrogen locomotives and trains, would be one-to-one replacements for diesel locomotives and trains.
It would appear that because of their geographic isolation, hydrogen could be an ideal zero-carbon fuel for the railways of Ireland.
In Do Cummins And Stadler Have a Cunning Plan?, I speculated that the electro-diesel Class 99 locomotive could be converted into an electro-hydrogen Class 99 locomotive, as Cummins are building diesel engines that can be converted into hydrogen ones.
Ireland with its unusual network could change to a zero-carbon railway in the following way.
- Purchase a fleet of diesel locomotives and trains that can run on Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) and be convertible to hydrogen.
- A version of the Class 99 with or without the electrical gubbins would satisfy the locomotive replacement.
- A version of the tri-mode Stadler FLIRT like a Class 745 train, would satisfy the train replacement.
- All new trains and locomotives would replace the current stock and run on HVO.
- The hydrogen infrastructure would be built.
- The new trains and locomotives would be gradually converted to run on green hydrogen.
Within a few years, the island of Ireland would have a zero-carbon railway.
Advantages Of A Fully-Hydrogen Railway
These are a few advantages.
- One fuel for all trains.
- All trains and locomotives would be one manufacturer.
- No expensive electrification.
- Hydrogen trains and locomotives have a long range.
- No infrastructure modification for gauge clearance.
- Ireland has plenty of onshore and offshore wind for hydrogen.
- Standard fuelling systems are being developed.
- There would be no disruption as the trains changed to HVO and little disruption as they changed to hydrogen.
I believe that there would be a large increase in train usage both from locals and visitors, which can only be good for the Irish economy.
Managing The Project
This could be one of those rare projects that flows well.
- The changeover to hydrogen could involve very little rail infrastructure work.
- The hydrogen filling stations could be more-or-less independent of the rail infrastructure.
- Trains and locomotives could go into service, when they are accepted and the staff have been trained.
- Trains and locomotives would only be converted to hydrogen, as routes are made hydrogen-capable.
- There should be no gauging problems with the new trains and locomotives.
- There is only one train manufacturer.
Hopefully, it will all be delivered on time and on budget.
SSE Announces Construction Of Aberarder Wind Farm
The title of this post, is the same as that as an advert on my online edition of The Times.
Click the advert and you get this page, with the title of this post.
This is the sub-heading.
Aberarder secured 15-year CfD in UK Allocation Round 5
These three paragraphs give more details of the wind farm.
SSE has taken a final investment decision to proceed with Aberarder Wind Farm in the Scottish Highlands, in a circa £100m investment boost for its onshore wind portfolio.
Construction of the 12 turbine, 50MW wind farm, which is wholly owned by SSE Renewables, will begin before the end of the year with completion scheduled for the end of 2026. The Aberarder project was successful in September 2023 in the UK’s fifth Contract for Difference (CfD) Allocation round, securing a 15-year contract for low-carbon power generation.
Located at Strathnairn near Inverness, on a natural plateau at an average of 700m above sea level, the Aberarder project site sits directly adjacent to the operational 94MW Dunmaglass Wind Farm, which is jointly owned by SSE Renewables and Greencoat UK Wind.
It would appear that a £100m investment in the Scottish Highlands will get you a fully-operational 50 MW wind farm.
These are my observations and thoughts.
SSE’s Project Overview Of Aberarder Wind Farm
These four paragraphs are SSE’s project overview from this page on the SSE Renewables web site.
The Aberarder Wind Farm project is located in Strathnairn near Inverness, on a natural plateau at an average of 700m above sea level. It will sit directly adjacent to the operational 94MW Dunmaglass Wind Farm, which is jointly owned by SSE Renewables and Greencoat UK Wind.
The project was developed by RES and consented by The Highland Council in April 2017. The consent allows for the construction of a 12-turbine onshore wind farm, with each turbine having a maximum tip height of up to 130m and is expected to have an export capacity of 49.9MW. SSE Renewables reached an agreement with RES to acquire Aberarder in October 2022.
In September 2023 Aberarder was successful in the UK’s fifth Contract for Difference (CfD) Allocation Round and was awarded a 15-year contract for low carbon power generation. SSE took a final investment decision to proceed with Aberarder Wind Farm, in a circa £100m investment in May 2024, construction is scheduled to begin before the end of 2024 with completion scheduled for the end of 2026.
Our focus is now on building strong and meaningful relationships with the local community surrounding the Aberarder Wind Farm. As a responsible developer and operator, we are looking forward to working closely with the community in surrounding area to fully realise the benefits of this exciting project.
Construction has now started and it would appear that in two years, the twelve-turbine wind farm will be producing power.
SSE’s Description Of Dunmaglass Wind Farm
These four paragraphs are SSE’s description from this page on the SSE Renewables web site.
Located to the south east of Inverness, on a natural plateau at an average of 700m above sea level, Dunmaglass is SSE’s highest wind farm to be constructed.
SSE acquired the project from RES in May 2013 and initial enabling works began in the summer of 2013 which included the upgrading of 11km of tracks and the construction of two timber deck bridges.
Highland contractor RJ McLeod was awarded the £16m main civil works contract in summer 2014.
Dunmaglass became fully operational in 2017.
This paragraph also illustrates the challeges of the It looks like the construction of the larger Dunmaglass wind farm.
The height at which Dunmaglass is located presented its challenges during construction and the winter months brought high winds and plenty of snow. The site was fully completed and handed to the operations team in 2017.
Surprisingly, the legendary Highland midges didn’t get a mention.
The Sale Of 49.9 % Of Dunmaglass Wind Farm To Greencoat UK Wind
This sub-heading outlines the sale.
In February 2019, SSE sold 49.9% of Dunmaglass to Greencoat UK Wind PLC as part of a deal in which Greencoat acquired a 49.9% stake in both Dunmaglass and the nearby Stronelairg wind farm.
This paragraph gives more details of the sale.
In February 2019, SSE signed agreements for the sale of 49.9% of Dunmaglass wind farm to Greencoat UK Wind Plc (“UKW”). This sale was part of a £635m deal in which Greencoat acquired a 49.9% stake in both Stronelairg and Dunmaglass wind farms. The stakes equate to 160.6MW (megawatts) of capacity, with an average valuation for the two wind farms of around £4m per MW. This valuation demonstrates SSE’s ability develop quality, low carbon assets and infrastructure vital to the GB energy market.
The interesting figure is that SSE was paid £4m per MW for the interest of 160.6 MW, that they sold.
Aberarder wind farm is a 50 MW wind farm and it appears that it will cost £100 million to build.
If after a couple of years of operation, the wind farm is worth £4 million per MW, then SSE have doubled their money.
Does this illustrate, why the professionals like SSE and Greencoat UK Wind invest in wind farms?
- SSE would have taken the risk, that they could build the wind farm.
- SSE have the engineering skillsto do an excellent job.
- Greencoat UK Wind are buying into a producing asset, with a known cash flow.
SSE also get more money to build more wind farms.
Where Are Aberarder And Dunmaglass?
This Google Map shows the site of Aberarder wind farm with respect to Inverness.
Note.
- Inverness is at the top of the map on the waters of the Solway Firth.
- Aberarder wind farm is marked by the red arrow.
- Aberarder is a hamlet to the North-West of the wind farm.
- Drumnaglass is a shooting estate to the North-West of the wind farm.
- Loch Duntelchaig is the main reservoir for Inverness.
This second Google Map shows the Drumnaglass wind farm.
Note.
- Drumnaglass wind farm has 33 turbines and a capacity of 94.05 MW.
- There is a track network of 11 km. linking all the turbines.
- A good proportion of the turbines can be picked out on the map.
It would appear that Aberarder wind farm will lie to the South-East of this wind farm.
Aberarder Wind Farm To Fort Augustus
In Cloiche Onshore Wind Farm, I talked about the 130.5 MW Cloiche wind farm and its future construction to the East of Fort Augustus and Stronelairg wind farm.
This Google Map shows the position of Aberarder wind farm with respect to Ford Augustus.
Note.
- Loch Ness runs across the North-West corner of the map.
- Fort Augustus and Stronelairg wind farm, are at the Southern end of the loch.
- The red arrow shows Aberarder wind farm.
- Foyers pumped hydro is on the Eastern bank of Loch Ness, at about the same latitude as the Aberarder wind farm.
- The lake at the bottom of the map, to the South-East of Ford Augustus, is the Glendoe Reservoir, that powers the Glendoe hydroelectric scheme.
There are certainly, a lot of SSE-owned and/or SSE-controlled assets in the area and I wouldn’t be surprised, if SSE integrated them more closely, or added a few more wind farms.
Why Are SSE Advertising The Start Of Construction?
SSE have been advertising for some time on The Times web site.
As they are not a retail energy company anymore, as they sold their retail business to OVO, the advertising, is probably about spreading a good corporate message and getting their strategy broadcast.
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?
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.
SSE Partners With Bord na Móna On 800MW Onshore Wind JV In Ireland
The title of this post, is the same as that of this press release from SSE.
These four bullet points, act as sub-headings.
- Leading low-carbon energy companies SSE Renewables and Bord na Móna continue to progress their respective portfolios in Ireland, by partnering to develop new onshore wind energy projects across the Midlands.
- More than €1 billion could be invested by the joint venture partnership to develop up to 800MW of new renewable energy projects, enough to provide power to over 450,000 homes.
- Onshore wind farm projects to be developed as part of the portfolio will include Lemanaghan Wind Farm in north-west Offaly, Littleton Wind Farm in Tipperary, and Garryhinch Wind Farm on the Laois Offaly border.
- The partnership has the potential to support hundreds of jobs across the Midlands during construction and operation of the onshore wind projects.
Note.
- It is a 50:50 project between SSE Renewables and Bord na Móna.
- It will deliver 800 MW of onshore wind energy.
These link to the three web sites for the wind farms.
- Lemanaghan Wind Farm will be 80-100 MW
- Littleton Wind Farm will be 60-80 MW
- Garryhinch Wind Farm will be 60-80 MW
These must be the first phases, as they are nowhere near 800 MW.
There is an interesting comparison to be made here.
- As I said in Wind Farm: Yorkshire Moors Could Get England’s Biggest Wind Farm, it looks like a 304 MW wind farm on England will be controversial.
- The 539 MW Whitelee Wind Farm near Glasgow is the largest onshore wind farm in the UK.
- The republic of Ireland is building three schemes totalling 800 MW in the Irish Midlands.
So why does England object?
Wind Farm: Yorkshire Moors Could Get England’s Biggest Wind Farm
The title of this post, is the same as that, of this article on the BBC.
This is the sub-heading.
The largest onshore wind farm in England could be built on moorland in the Pennines if plans get the go-ahead.
These are the first two paragraphs.
Calderdale Windfarm Ltd is exploring options for 65 turbines on Walshaw Moor, near the Walshaw Dean reservoirs above Hebden Bridge in Calderdale.
The company said the scheme would generate enough electricity to power more than 286,000 homes a year.
The Calderdale Wind Farm has a web site, which adds these details about the proposals.
- The 65 wind turbines will generate up to 302 MW of electricity.
- There will be a 150 MW battery on site.
- £2.5 million per year will be put in a Community Benefit Fund.
- Up to 300,000 trees will be planted across the site.
This Google Map shows the Walshaw Dean reservoirs and Hebden Bridge.
Note.
- Walshaw Dean reservoirs are in the North-West corner of the map.
- Hebden Bridge is at the bottom of the map.
- Hebden Bridge station on the Calder Valley Line is also marked.
- This will be a very unusual wind farm for England.
It could also be a controversial wind farm.
These are some of my thoughts and those of the BBC article.
Environmental Opinions
These five paragraphs indicate both sides of the environmental argument.
Environmental campaigners warned the development would disturb peat bogs, releasing carbon into the atmosphere.
A spokesperson for Calderdale Windfarm, which is backed by Worldwide Renewable Energy (WWRE), said the proposal was an “incredibly exciting opportunity”.
“During a cost-of-living crisis, with ongoing energy security challenges and the climate emergency, the UK needs to explore how it can generate more carbon-free renewable electricity,” the firm said.
“But our proposals are at a very early stage and we recognise there will be a range of views about the merits of our proposal.
“We look forward to continuing to work with the local community, environmental groups, local councillors and others over the coming months to help shape the final design of the project.”
The £2.5 million per year Community Benefit Fund could be the clincher.
The Site Has A Battery
In my view, it is good practice to fit every wind farm with a battery, if this is practical and cost-effective.
As most batteries associated with wind farms, seem to be able to replace the wind farm for two hours, I wouldn’t be surprised to see the battery specified as a 150 MW/300 MWh unit.
A battery this size would improve the stability of the electricity supply in the area.
How Will Calderdale Wind Farm Be Connected To The Grid?
This question is answered in the page of FAQs.
We already have an offer from the Distribution Network Operator Energy North West to connect into the local electricity network substation at Padiham. Negotiations are also ongoing about an alternative connection via a new substation and that would go into National Grid which would connect into existing 440 KV pylons.
Padiham is a few miles away to the West, so the second option may need a smaller number of pylons.
The grid connection and associated infrastructure would be subject to a separate planning application to the wind farm.
Is Calderdale Wind Farm Just Wind Turbines?
This question is answered in the page of FAQs.
- No. Alongside our proposals for onshore wind we are also exploring the potential for the inclusion of battery storage and solar panels on southern slopes.
- As we develop the proposals further, we will be able to confirm whether we will be including other renewable technologies as part of the proposals.
I wouldn’t be surprised to see solar panels floated on the reservoirs. This also has the secondary benefit of reducing evaporation.
How Will Calderdale Wind Farm Benefit Calderdale?
This question is answered in the page of FAQs.
If consented, Calderdale Wind Farm would represent an investment of circa £500m into the local economy. Calderdale Wind Farm will support the local economy and present many opportunities for years to come.
Community Benefit Fund
Around 16,500 households in Calderdale are living in fuel poverty, with around 1,200 of these being in the HX7 postcode area. As part of our proposals for Calderdale we are exploring a community benefit fund to provide support to these households across the 30-year operational lifetime of Calderdale Wind Farm.
This fund would represent £75m worth of funding across a 30-year timeframe that would be paid to Calderdale Council to help relieve fuel poverty for the operational lifetime of the Calderdale Wind Farm.
We want to work closely with the communities in and around Calderdale to ensure they benefit from the project to help address identified local challenges such as the current energy and cost of living crisis.
Socio Economic Impacts
A socio-economic report produced by Biggar Economics suggests that the project would be a significant boost to both the Calderdale and wider regional economy if it goes ahead. The report estimates that Calderdale Wind Farm would generate at least £2.2million GVA for Calderdale through the design, build and operational lifetime of the windfarm.
This is surely going to level-up Calderdale.
Is This Going To Impact My Walking Route?
This question is answered in the page of FAQs.
As we develop our proposals, we will design the scheme and placement of the wind turbines and associated infrastructure to minimise any disruption to existing paths and trails. Our team has taken into consideration the importance of preserving the natural beauty and accessibility of the area in our early stage designs, which will evolve as we undertake further work ahead of a planning submission.
While there might be temporary adjustments or diversions to certain paths during the construction phase to ensure safety, these changes will be communicated well in advance, and we will strive to keep any inconveniences to a minimum.
Once operational the moor will continue to be accessible to members of the public.
As part of our commitment to community consultation, we want to hear your thoughts on the proposals, if you have any specific concerns about how the wind farm might affect your walking routes please let us now, community input is vital to designing a scheme that works seamlessly with the local environment.
It does look like the impact will not be all that great.
Is Grouse Shooting On Walshaw Moor Expected To Continue If Calderdale Wind Farm Is Approved?
This question is answered in the page of FAQs.
WWRE and Calderdale Wind Farm Ltd are pleased to confirm that the approval of the wind farm would result in the end of grouse shooting on Walshaw Moor.
This could face a lot of opposition from the shooting lobby.
Who Are WWRE?
The Calderdale wind farm has a page of FAQs.
In response to who are the funding partners of the project, this is said.
WWRE Global is a UK based company that was looking at projects in Spain and registered with Companies House in Gibraltar. With its investors and opportunities its current operations are focused on helping to deliver new renewable energy infrastructure in locations across the UK, which is why the business is now listed at Companies House in London.
WWRE Global is responsible for delivering investment opportunities for Energy Horizon II Investment Company and managing the planning and consenting process.
WWRE Global has a web site.
When Will The Wind Farm Be Built?
This question is answered in the page of FAQs.
Calderdale Wind Farm is a fully funded project, and it is envisaged the construction would commence within 12 months of any planning permission being granted and conditions being discharged. At this stage it is expected that construction could take up to two years.
WWRE Global certainly seem to want to get on with it.
Objectors
Use Google to search for news about Calderdale wind farm and you get a lot of objectors.
Conclusion
This is a bold and scientifically-correct proposal and it will be a close decision, as to whether the wind farm gets built or not!
The Anonymous Widower 