Wind Energy Planning

Step Change Needed to Embrace Renewable Energy

Renewable energy technology by its very nature needs an abundance of the relevant natural resource to generate electricity, whether it be the sun, the wind or the tides. However it also needs to be close to a grid connection point so that the electricity can be distributed to where it is needed.

Nimbyism occurs when people refuse to accept that where they live might be suitable for a renewable energy technology. We do however need renewable energy technology in as many places as can be accommodated, subject to the impacts not outweighing the benefits.

Green Revolution Moves forward a step as China promises Carbon Cuts

The Chinese President announced today that he was prepared to take action on climate change. President Hu Jintao told the UN summit that the country is prepared to make a carbon reduction promise through the introduction of a 2020 target.

Jintao said that notable reductions in emission levels would be made by 2020 from the 2005 levels, a in a move that was welcomed by Chinese green groups.

Although no specific target has been set and there much work to be done, China has for the first time indicated that decisions about the energy future of the country will not be entirely driven by short term economic goals. The announcement demonstrates that pressure from other countries leading the way on carbon reduction can make a difference.

I attended a public consultation exercise for a new wind farm at Spaldington Airfield, in Yorkshire, England at the weekend. Many people were supportive of the proposals and felt strongly that every small move counts in the fight against climate change.

UK Back on the Green Energy Investment Track

After the PR disaster of the Vestas factory closure on the Isle of Wight, the UK Prime Minister is looking to reel in another wind turbine manufacturer and step up investment to get the country back on the green manufacturing track.

The Guardian’s Terry Macalister reported yesterday that PM Gordon Brown wants Siemens to open a factory in the UK as soon as possible. The move would provide a renewable energy manufacturing base and green collar jobs. The goverment is desperate to secure economic benefits from its huge potential wind energy market.

According to the Guardian, the prime minister will meet CEO of Siemens, Peter Löscher to provide some certainty and comfort on the delivery of a large scale offshore wind energy market. This lack of confidence in wind energy market growth was what led to the Vestas decision to abandon the UK.

A Siemens offshore wind representative said that the company will be closely watching what comes out of the Crown Estate’s Round 3 offshore wind farm license announcements which are imminent.

Conservative Proposals for Onshore Wind Energy

The Conservatives have announced proposals that will make it more difficult for UK wind farms to be built on land if they win an election next year.

The Shadow Local Government Minister, Bob Neil visited East Riding Council last week to discuss the topic of wind farms in the district. Although the area is ideal for wind farms the Council is complaining that it is being put under too much pressure from wind farm proposals. The Council is struggling to justify its refusals when in front of a planning inspector at appeal, given the urgency to create a sustainable energy future.

Despite the region of Yorkshire and Humber not having reached its target for renewable energy the district of East Riding says it has done its fair share through accommodating several wind farms.

Death at Scottish Wind Farm Site

The BBC reported today that a contractor has died at a wind farm at the north eastern tip of Scotland.

The incident happened whilst the contractor was carrying out routine maintenance work at Causeymire Wind Farm near Thurso. Emergency services rushed to the wind farm site just off the A9 at approximately 9am this morning

Government Appoints New Scientific Advisor

The UK government has appointed David MacKay Chief Scientific Advisor to the Department of Energy and Climate Change.

David MacKay is a Professor in the Department of Physics at Cambridge University and recently published a book ‘Sustainable Energy – without the hot air’.

Secretary of State Ed Miliband said: “David MacKay is known for making science accessible and helping to explain clearly the urgency and the challenges of moving to a low carbon economy. I want him to bring all of these qualities to the job of advising DECC on how we can meet Britain’s carbon targets and energy security needs.”

Wind Energy Association’s Offshore Ambition

This European Wind Energy Association (EWEA) video has been produced for the European Offshore Wind Conference being held in Stockholm this month.
EWEA say that offshore wind energy has the potential to power Europe 7 times over and that the industry is growing 28% a year. A European wind energy “supergrid” would help create the [...]

Utilities with Financial Muscle win Offshore Wind Energy licenses

Although not officially announced by the Crown Estate, the next round of huge UK offshore wind energy sites have been informally allocated to wind energy developers behind the scenes.

The 10,000 Megawatt Doggerbank area over 50miles east of northern England is rumoured to have been ringfenced for the consortium giant made up of RWE npower, Scottish and Southern Energy, Statkraft and Statoil Hydro known under the umbrella “Forewind”.

Scottish Power and Vattenfall are believed to be favourites for 5000 Megawatts in the wider Wash area, off the Norfolk coast.

Scotland on Road to Fighting Climate Change

Scotland has slashed its greenhouse gas emissions by nearly a fifth since 1990, according to new figures published by the Scottish Government.

The figures show that emission levels stood at 56.9 million tonnes in 2007, but have been reduced 19% on 1990 levels. The carbon cuts are credited to greener energy production through increased use of renewable energy, business and industry, the public sector, waste management, international shipping, housing and agriculture. The bad news is that emissions from international aviation and shipping have increased.

Power generation accounted for 36% of emissions, 22% from transport, 14% from agriculture and 13% from business and domestic fossil fuel use. The Scottish Government has committed to a 42% reduction in carbon emissions from 1990 levels, by 2020 and 80% by 2050.

Pressure Ramps Up for Global Carbon Caps

The pressure has been stepped up to persuade rapidly expanding economies such as China and India to incorporate climate change committments into their future growth plans.

Developed countries want countries world-wide to agree caps on greenhouse gas emissions and have been making the demands through the United Nations talks on climate change in the lead up to the conference to be held in Copenhagen in December.

The Chairman of the World Bank Commission for Growth and Development has however warned that both the climate and the global economy are threatened if the developed world tries to force countries with growing economies to restrict carbon emissions.

New Wind Energy Association Newsletter

The British Wind Energy Association has issued its first quarterly newsletter aimed at providing councillors and planning officers in England and Wales with up to date renewable energy information.

The newsletter ‘RePLAN‘ focuses on wind energy information for local authorities. In the first edition BWEA’s Head of Onshore Wind, Jan Matthiesen says “Across local authorities in England and Wales there are currently 87 applications representing 1324MW of clean power held up in the planning system. Every region will have to raise its renewable energy targets for 2020 and councillors clearly have a central role to play in ensuring they are met. Most importantly, prompt decisions need to be made at planning committees that are consistent with national, regional and local planning policy.”

Last of the Round 1 Offshore Wind Farms Heads for 2009 Completion

It will have taken nearly 10 years to get the first round of UK offshore wind energy projects up and running by the time the last Round 1 offshore wind farm is completed at Rhyl Flats later this year.

Back in April 2001, following a pre-qualification process, 18 companies were selected by the Crown Estate to progress projects in the first round of offshore wind farm sites on the UK seabed. This represented an unprecedented step by the then Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in pushing forward offshore wind farms. Under the agreements, the companies were given a three-year period in which to secure the required consents for a full lease to be granted by the Crown Estate.

npower renewables built the first commercial scale offshore wind farm in UK waters in 2003 between Rhyl and Prestatyn off the north coast of Wales. This 30 turbine wind farm known as North Hoyle was built with help from capital grants and now generates enough green electricity for the annual average needs of 40,000 homes.

Over 6 years later npower has purchased the rights for the development of sister project “Rhyll Flats” from Celtic Offshore Wind Limited (COWL). The site is located to the west of North Hoyle 5 miles from shore.

Can our Grid System Cope with Domestic Renewable Energy?

With more people wanting to be energy self sufficient and goverments providing financial incentives to make this ideal more affordable, we are looking at a future where domestic energy generation is rolled out to the masses.

In the UK, National Grid operate the high level grid infrastructure (generally any substations, power lines or cables rated at above 132kV) and distribution network organisations operate the local grid infrastructure of 132kV and below in the different regions.

With this anticipated increase in households generating their own green electricity, so will come increasing demands to connect these individual generators to the local distribution networks. Domestic generators such as solar PV panels, micro-wind turbines, or micro-scale CHP units will have the potential to export small amounts of electricity (as little as 0.5 kW). The result will be far more complex, actively managed local electricity networks, in which power flows in different directions at different times. Ensuring that distribution operators are ready for this change represents a major challenge.

US Kick Start Renewable Energy Grants Worth US $500 million

The American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) has today welcomed the announcement by the US government to begin issuing grants for renewable energy projects worth nearly US $500 million.

The Departments of Treasury and Energy made the announcement further to the establishment of a Congress programme with roots in the economic recovery package put together earlier this year. This element of the recovery package aims to boost green energy investment and employment. The grants will be issued in lieu of tax credits of nearly $500 million for 10 wind energy projects in Minnesota, New York, Maine, Pennsylvania Oregon, and Texas.

Council Leaders Hit Back at Prescott on Wind Energy

The leaders of East Riding and the Isle of Wight Councils have responded angrily to comments made by John Prescott about UK wind farm decision making last week.

At the first ‘Age of Stupid awards’ the former Deputy Prime Minister spoke out against people who oppose wind turbines being constructed near their homes and the planning committees who take action in response to their lobbying. Prescott is concerned about the number of recent decisions to refuse permission for new projects to generate renewable energy “Stupid planning committee in Bedford, stupid planning committee in the Isle of Wight – I hope they get upset about it. We have to counteract the NIMBYs who say they want change but not in their backyard.”

Despite the East Riding of Yorkshire being well positioned for wind energy, Councillors have refused a number of the wind farms proposals in their area. Council Leader Stephen Parnaby said “I think Mr Prescott’s comments are a bit rich. “It’s typical of this Government backing off from its responsibilities…the energy of the country should be dealt with at a national level and the blame should not be passed on to local authorities.”

New Wind Energy and Major Infrastructure Petition

Wind farm NIMBYs are becoming more vocal in the UK leading to big challenges for companies trying to construct wind energy projects.

The British Wind Energy Association and wind energy companies say that most people in the UK are supportive of wind turbines but they are less likely to express their support for specific projects than people who are against proposals. This group are known as the ’silent majority’ and they are also usually against wind farm NIMBYs.