Wind Energy Planning

Second Challenge to Essex Wind Farm Proposals

A second challenge has been made to an Essex wind farm proposal this week leading to questions about the effectiveness of UK planning and legal systems.

The Bradwell wind farm proposal submitted by wind energy company npower renewables has been subject to two public inquiries at which planning consent was granted on both occasions.

China Pilots Battery Storage Project

The Chinese State Grid company is to join the energy storage seekers this year according to state news agency Xinhua this week.

The State Grid is set to build a pilot integrated renewable energy power storage system this year utilising battery technology. The demonstration project is to be built in Zhangjiakou, Hebei and speculators predict the build costs will be circa 20 billion yuan ($2.9 billion).

Micro Renewable Energy Generators Seek Higher Feed in Tariff

UK guaranteed green electricity price tariffs are creating serious interest in small scale renewable energy generation this year.

There is however a group of people not so happy about the detail of the feed in tariff proposals.

For the pioneers who installed their renewable generator before July 15th 2009 the government is offering much lower payments compared with those available to new generators. The original renewable generators will earn 9 pence (US 14 cents) per unit compared with the tariff offering up to 41.3p (US 65 cents) a unit for newly installed generators.

Infrastructure Planning Commission Lift Off

The UK’s new Infrastructure Planning Commission opened its doors to major infrastructure planning applications this week.

The first applications are anticipated from the energy and transport sectors including several wind farm proposals (Atlantic Array offshore wind farm – RWE npower, Irish Sea offshore wind farm – Centrica and Nant-y-Moch wind farm, Wales – Airtricity).

€2.4m needed for Offshore Wind Farm Ship Investments

Measures to make investment in offshore wind vessels more attractive are being urged by European Shipyard and Wind Energy Associations.

The Community of European Shipyards Association (CESA) and the European Wind Energy Association (EWEA) want the European Commission and European Investment Bank to help stimulate the funding of new ships to build offshore wind farms.