Client- Landowner

Objectives

To determine the feasibility of a medium scale wind turbine for a local landowner on farmland located in Carmarthenshire. Following confirmation of feasibility, conduct baseline surveys and design a wind energy scheme to minimise environmental and planning risk, taking into account a number of constraints and limitations across the available site area including grid. To prepare, submit and support an application for a development consent for a 330kW wind turbine.

Project Overview

Wind energy was identified as a means of offsetting the high energy demands of the farm, which consumes high amounts of electricity due to the cooling systems involved in milk production. Continued rises in energy prices were bringing into question the viability of the farming operation.

The intention of the landowner is to generate energy through the wind turbine that will supply the farm business, particularly in the automation of several of the everyday labour intensive tasks undertaken by the single farmer.

Planning permission was awarded in July 2012 and it is expected that the turbine will be operational by the end of 2013. The turbine will provide over 100% of the electricity needs of the farm, so excess generation will be exported for distribution on the local grid network.

Implementation

The Wind Development Services team prepared a report to accompany the planning application to Carmarthenshire County Council for consent under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990. The report documented the findings of the environmental assessments that were undertaken to provide information reasonably required by the Council to assess the environmental effects expected of the development during each phase of the project. Studies included ecology, hydrology, noise, cultural heritage, landscape and visual, construction and transport. This included the construction stage, operation and decommissioning, and informed consultees and decision makers of the nature of the development. Potential cumulative effects with other built, under construction or consented wind farm schemes were also assessed.

Technical Overview

Total offsetting reductions in carbon dioxide emissions over the 25 year lifetime of the development: 7769 tonnes of CO2.

Clean electricity generation equivalent to the annual domestic requirements: 153 homes of 0.2% of the domestic requirements for Carmarthenshire County, based on annual average household consumption of 4.7 MWhrs/annum