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?
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.
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.
Mammoet Launches ‘World’s Strongest’ Land-Based Crane That Can Handle Large Offshore Wind Turbine Components
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on offshoreWIND.biz.
This is the sub-heading.
Mammoet has launched the SK6000 ring crane, said to be the world’s strongest land-based crane, at its Westdorpe facility in the Netherlands. According to the company, the new crane supports the continued constructability of next-generation offshore wind turbines and foundations.
This is the first paragraph.
The new crane has a maximum capacity of 6,000 tonnes and can lift components of up to 3,000 tonnes to a height of 220 metres, and builds on the design philosophy of Mammoet’s SK190 and SK350 series, which are proven in the market, the company said.
In the early decades of North Sea Oil and Gas, I remember a project management consultant telling me how larger cranes were improving productivity.
It appears history is repeating itself.
The crane can also be transported in standard shipping containers, as this sentence details.
The crane design uses containerization techniques for ease of deployment and can be transported using shipping containers to any location worldwide.
Let’s hope wind farms can be erected faster.
Global Offshore Wind To Top 520 GW By 2040, Floating Wind To Play Major Role – Rystad Energy
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on offshoreWIND.biz.
This is the sub-heading.
According to Rystad Energy, global offshore wind capacity will surpass 520 GW by 2040, with floating wind installations nearing 90 GW by that time
These are the first three paragraphs.
In 2023, the offshore wind sector saw a seven per cent increase in new capacity additions compared to the previous year, said Rystad Energy. This momentum is expected to accelerate this year, with new capacity additions expected to grow by nine per cent to over 11 GW by the end of the year.
By 2040, Europe is expected to account for more than 70 per cent of global floating wind installations. Although some project delays beyond 2030 are anticipated, there will likely be a strong push to accelerate deployment, according to Rystad Energy.
As a result, floating wind capacity is projected to approach 90 GW by 2040, led by the UK, France, and Portugal, with Asia (excluding mainland China) expected to account for 20 per cent of global installations.
Note, that Rystad Energy is an independent energy research and business intelligence company headquartered in Oslo, Norway.
Implications For Energy Storage
In Grid Powers Up With One Of Europe’s Biggest Battery Storage Sites, I talk about how the 2.9 GW Hornsea Three wind farm will have a connection to the grid, that incorporates a 300 MW/600 MWh battery.
With 520 GW of offshore wind to be installed by 2040, I suspect that energy storage companies and funds will do well.
If the 520 GW of offshore wind were fitted with batteries like the 2.9 GW Hornsea Three wind farm, there would be a need for around 60 GW of battery output, with a capacity of around 120 GWh.
I doubt, there would be enough lithium for all those batteries.
Some countries like Norway, the United States, Australia, France, Spain, Japan, India, China and others will be able to develop large pumped storage hydroelectricity systems, but others will have to rely on newer, developing technologies.
The UK will be well-placed with around 80 GWh of pumped storage hydroelectricity under development and several promising developing storage technologies.
‘Windiest Part Of The UK’ Could Power Nearly 500,000 Homes
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the BBC.
This is the sub-heading.
Power is flowing from the Shetland Isles to mainland Britain for the first time as the UK’s most productive onshore windfarm comes on stream.
These are the first two paragraphs.
SSE says its 103-turbine project, known as Viking, can generate 443 megawatts (MW) of electricity, enough to power nearly 500,000 homes.
Shetland is the windiest part of the UK, which means it will be rare for the blades, which reach a massive 155m at their tip, not to be spinning.
Note.
- SSE has built a 160-mile long undersea cable to carry the power from Viking to Noss Head, near Wick, on the Scottish mainland.
- The company said it has invested more than £1bn in the windfarm and cable projects.
- SSE plans to plough another £20bn into renewables by the end of the decade.
Companies don’t invest billions and banks don’t lend billions, unless they know they’ll get a return, so the finance for this billion pound project must be sound.
A simple calculation, shows why they do.
- According to Google, the electricity for the average house costs £1926.24 per year.
- 500,000 houses would spend £963,120,000 per year.
Google says this about the life of a wind farm.
The average operational lifespan of a wind turbine is 20–25 years, but some turbines can last up to 30 years.
If the wind farm lasts 25 years, then it will generate something like £24 billion over its lifetime.
It looks to me, that SSE have borrowed a billion and will get almost as much as that back every year.
SSE also have the experience to keep the turbines turning and the distribution network sending electricity to the Scottish mainland.
I have some further thoughts.
What Happens If Scotland Can Get Cheaper Electricity From Its Own Wind Farms?
Shetland’s turbines can be switched off, but that is effectively throwing away electricity that can be generated.
Any spare electricity can also be diverted to an electrolyser, so that the following is produced.
- Hydrogen for transport, rocket fuel for SaxaVord Spaceport and to decarbonise houses and businesses.
- Oxygen for rocket fuel for SaxaVord Spaceport and for fish farms.
Hydrogen may also be exported to those that need it.
Project Orion
Project Orion is Shetland’s master plan to bring all the energy in and around the Shetland Islands together.
This document on the APSE web site is entitled Future Hydrogen Production In Shetland.
This diagram from the report shows the flow of electricity and hydrogen around the islands, terminals and platforms.
Note these points about what the Shetlanders call the Orion Project.
- Offshore installations are electrified.
- There are wind turbines on the islands
- Hydrogen is provided for local energy uses like transport and shipping.
- Oxygen is provided for the fish farms and a future space centre.
- There is tidal power between the islands.
- There are armadas of floating wind turbines to the East of the islands.
- Repurposed oil platforms are used to generate hydrogen.
- Hydrogen can be exported by pipeline to St. Fergus near Aberdeen, which is a distance of about 200 miles.
- Hydrogen can be exported by pipeline to Rotterdam, which is a distance of about 600 miles.
- Hydrogen can be exported by tanker to Rotterdam and other parts of Europe.
It looks a very comprehensive plan, which will turn the islands into a massive hydrogen producer.
Orion And AquaVentus
This video shows the structure of AquaVentus, which is the German North Sea network to collect hydrogen for H2ercules.
I clipped this map from the video.
Note.
- There is a link to Denmark.
- There appears to be a undeveloped link to Norway.
- There appears to be a link to Peterhead in Scotland.
- There appears to be a link to just North of the Humber in England.
- Just North of the Humber are the two massive gas storage sites of Aldbrough owned by SSE and Rough owned by Centrica.
- There appear to be small ships sailing up and down the East Coast of the UK. Are these small coastal tankers distributing the hydrogen to where it is needed?
In the last century, the oil industry, built a substantial oil and gas network in the North Sea. It appears now the Germans are leading the building of a substantial hydrogen network.
This map is only the start and I feel, there would be nothing to stop the connection of the Orion and AquaVentus networks.
SaxaVord Spaceport
SaxaVord Spaceport is now a reality, in that it licensed and tests are being undertaken.
‘World’s First’ O&M Campaign Using Heavy-Lift Cargo Drones Underway At Dutch Offshore Wind Farm
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on offshoreWIND.biz.
This is the sub-heading.
Ørsted has deployed heavy-lift cargo drones (HLCDs) for maintenance work at the Borssele 1&2 offshore wind farm in the Netherlands. This is the first time heavy-lift cargo drones are being used in an operational campaign, according to the company which tested the concept in 2023 at its Hornsea One offshore wind farm in the UK.
These are the first two paragraphs.
At the 752 MW Dutch offshore wind farm that has been in operation since 2020, the 70-kilogram drones will transport cargo of up to 100 kilograms from a vessel to all 94 wind turbines. The campaign now underway at Borssele 1&2 is being performed to update some critical evacuation and safety equipment in each of the turbines.
A drone can complete a task that typically takes several hours in minutes, according to Ørsted.
Note.
- The article claims, a lot of time is saved.
- I suspect we’ll be seeing the use of drones for multiple deliveries, a lot more in the future.
I like the concept, where deliveries to a number of sites are made by drone, rather than in a traditional way perhaps by a ship or truck with a crane.
The Anonymous Widower 