| Questions
Related to the Northwest Saline Wind Farm Proposal |
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| General
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| Questions
Related to the Northwest Saline Wind Farm Proposal |
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What is the energy pay back time for the proposed
Northwest Saline Wind Farm?
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Answer: The following comes from the British
Wind Energy Association (BWEA) website:
http://www.bwea.com/
The comparison of energy used in manufacture with the energy produced
by a power station is known as the 'energy balance'. It can be expressed
in terms of energy 'pay back' time, that is, the time needed to generate
the equivalent amount of energy used in manufacturing the wind turbine
or power station.
The average wind farm in the UK will pay back the energy used in its manufacture
within three to eight months of operation, depending on the scale of the
wind farm, site topography, infrastructure required and whether turbines
are onshore or offshore. This compares favourably with coal or nuclear
power stations.
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Is there increasing vibration from turbines with
wear & tear over time?
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Answer: Vibration from wind turbines has
been shown to be well below UK criteria for ‘critical working areas’ at
100m from turbines. That is, no significant vibration goes into
the ground from wind turbines.
We have been advised that there would be no additional increase in vibration
from wear and tear on turbines over time, due to routine maintenance to
the machines and repair to any damages over the life of the turbines.
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What is the length and regularity of maintenance
periods? Regarding reliability, what percentage of time is taken
for breakdowns and unscheduled stoppages of turbines?
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Answer: Routine maintenance or servicing
of turbines is normally carried out twice a year, with a main service
at 12 monthly intervals and a minor service at 6 months. In year 1, there
is normally an initial 3-month service after commissioning.
Modern turbines have an expected operational availability of over 97%
(including shutdowns due to routine maintenance).
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Would ABO Wind limit the project to 5 turbines
with no additional turbines within 2 miles of the site?
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Answer: Yes, we would limit the project
to 5 turbines.
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How was the Northwest Saline site chosen?
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Answer: We undertook a site search process
for Fife which took into account the following constraints:
- areas included in the 'West Area Medium Small Extent Development
' areas from the Fife Local Plan Ash Study (Figure 6)
- 500m exclusions around residential properties
- environmental constraints and landscape designation areas
- wind speed
- availability of grid connection
The Northwest Saline site was identified as one of the unconstrained areas
and ABO Wind made contact with the landowner.
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Dimensions of turbine foundations?
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Answer: Foundations for each turbine of
the proposed scheme would comprise a reinforced concrete pad with typical
dimensions of 16m x 16m (256m²) in plan with a tapering cross section,
although exact dimensions depend on the turbine selected and ground conditions
at the individual site location. The depth of concrete varies across
the foundation pad, tapering from approximately 1m at the edge of the
pad to 2m where it meets the central crown section at the top of the base,
giving a turbine foundation depth of approximately 3m.
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Volumes of concrete for turbine foundations?
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Answer: The total volume of concrete in
such a foundation is approximately 250m3 up to a maximum of 350m3. The
design of these foundations in terms of size and depth minimises concrete
and excavation requirements, minimises visible projection above the ground
and allows re-establishment of surface vegetation following construction.
The final design of the turbine foundations will be confirmed prior to
construction following detailed site investigation and will depend on
imposed loadings, ground conditions and drainage design as well as final
turbine selection.
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What is the number of lorry loads for construction
of the wind farm?
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Answer: At this stage, we are still working
on calculations regarding lorry movements to the site during construction.
This information will be detailed in the Environmental Statement which
will accompany the Planning Application to Fife Council.
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Can the electricity connection to Saline be enhanced
as part of community benefit?
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Answer: Electricity from the wind farm
would connect to the national grid, so the electricity connection to Saline
would not change as a direct result of the wind farm. If agreed
by the local community, it is possible that some of the community benefit
fund could be dedicated to upgrading the local electricity connection.
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Will the turbines require any lights?
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Answer: It is uncommon for wind farms
in the UK to require lighting on the turbines. The Northwest Saline
site is not in a military low fly zone or close to an airport, therefore
it is unlikely that the Civil Aviation Authority will require lighting
on the turbines.
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| What is the turbine tower height and the turbine
blade length? |
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Answer: 120m to blade tip height.
80m hub height. 40m blade length.
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| Might ABO Wind apply for turbines higher than
120m? |
Answer: The Northwest Saline application
will be for five turbines with a maximum height to blade tip of 120m.
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| Why are the turbines 120m when Fife Planning
Guidance is for up to 100m? |
Answer: Fife Council Wind Energy Supplementary
Planning Guidance (April 2008) identifies ‘Areas of Search’ throughout
the Fife Council Authority area and recommends acceptable scales of development,
including heights and numbers of turbines, within identified locations.
The proposed site is located within the ‘West Area Medium/Small Extent
Development’ indicating potential for a small commercial scale wind farm
of 5 turbines up to 100m height.
ABO Wind wishes to apply for 5 turbines with 120m total height because
the higher the turbine the better the wind resource.
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| Will the residents of Saline get cheaper electricity
as a result of having a wind farm in their area? |
Answer: Electricity from the wind farm
would connect to the national grid, so the price of electricity to Saline
would not change as a direct result of the wind farm. However if
the community chooses to dedicate some or all of the community fund to
subsidise electricity and heating costs then Saline residents could pay
less for their electricity.
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| How would ABO like to negotiate the community
benefit? |
Answer: Decisions regarding the use of
the Community Benefit Fund are normally left very much up to the local
community through the Community Council or a specially constituted Trust.
Other communities have worked successfully with wind farm developers in
this manner throughout Scotland.
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| Would ABO consider Profit sharing with Saline
residents? |
| Answer: Yes. Several local people
have asked about the possibility of the community buying shares in the
wind farm. ABO Wind is currently structuring a portfolio of wind
farms called Eurowind, which will provide the possibility for individuals
to financially participate and become stakeholders of the portfolio.
Initially it is planned to roll-out the product in France and Germany.
We will look into this possibility for the Northwest Saline project. |
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ABO Expects to generate 12.5MW from the site.
How much has to be generated to still make a profit with/without the subsidy?
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| Answer: The installed capacity of the
current proposal is 12.5MW. We would expect the site to have a wind
capacity of around 30%, which is a normal figure for an average wind farm.
The viability of the project depends on many different factors such as
grid connection, the power purchase agreement with the utility, wind speed
(which is currently being measured on site), turbine prices, bank financing
conditions, etc. |
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| Where will power lines to the Fishcross substation
be overhead versus underground? |
| Answer: The cable route from the site
to Fishcross has not been finalised, but is likely to follow road reserves.
Our intention is to install the grid line underground in any sensitive
areas and this would be agreed with the relevant authorities. |
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| Will the output of 5 turbines justify the cost
of the grid connection? |
Answer: Yes.
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| Who pays for the grid connection? |
Answer: ABO Wind.
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| Can you assure us that the bird survey will continue
until March? |
| Answer: Yes. The bird survey work began
in April, 2008 and will continue until March, 2009 so that a full year
of data will be available for the environmental impact assessment. |
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| Is it correct that hundreds of lorries with road
making stone will come through Saline? |
Answer: The access route to the site will
avoid Saline. The estimated construction period for the wind farm
proposal is nine months and several hundred heavy goods vehicle deliveries
to the site would be required over this time. The most intensive
increase in traffic would be over about two months and details of these
vehicle movements will be included in the Environmental Statement.
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| How many local people will this scheme employ
during construction and post construction? |
| Answer: ABO Wind would engage a construction
contractor to manage the wind farm construction work so there are opportunities
for local people. A small staff will be required for the ongoing
operation and maintenance of the wind farm, which also provides opportunities
for local people. |
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| Does ABO need the ROC subsidy to proceed with
the wind farm? |
Answer: ABO Wind develops wind farms in
a wide rage of different countries and, in line with all other developers,
it makes its investment decisions based on the prevailing market and legislative
conditions in each location.
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| If the planning application is successful will
ABO Wind build the wind farm or sell the site on and if so, will the answers
remain the same? |
| Answer: Several of our wind farms in Europe
remain in possession of ABO Wind, however some sites have been sold in
the past after commissioning. If the wind farm site was sold on,
the answers remain the same. |
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| Does ABO Wind plan to offer compensation to everyone
living within 2km for devaluation and nuisance? |
| Answer: ABO Wind believes it can demonstrate
that its proposals comply with relevant planning criteria. Established
practice dictates that associated with this process is the establishment
of the community benefit fund. |
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| When does ABO Wind expect to submit the planning
application? |
Answer: The planned date for submission
of the Northwest Saline Wind Farm planning application and Environmental
Statement is Spring 2009.
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| Will the Community Council be advised directly
in advance? |
Answer: We will advise the Community Council upon submission of the planning application and provide a CD copy of the Environmental Statement.
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| How is the ‘community’ defined for the community
benefit? Many of the people most affected are not Saline residents
or even in Fife. |
Answer: The Community Benefit Fund would
not be limited to the residents of Saline or areas within Fife.
The planning application will be submitted to Fife Council but the Community
Benefit fund is quite separate. If the wind farm was approved, ABO
Wind would work with local representatives to identify an area which best
represents the ‘community’. Advice would be taken from other wind
farm projects in Scotland.
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| Can noise disturbance increase over time? |
Answer: Turbines on the site would be
maintained regularly so there is no reason why noise from the wind farm
would increase over time.
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| How is the land to be restored at the end of
the life of the site? |
Answer: At the end of the life of the
wind farm it would be restored to its original state, apart from the concrete
turbine foundations which would be left in place underground with the
surface above restored. This would be required as part of the planning
approval.
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What would happen if the anticipated electricity
output from the wind farm were not achieved?
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Answer: This is very unlikely, as a detailed
model of the wind yield would be completed using on site wind data.
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| Might the site be decommissioned early and at
what financial and environmental cost? |
| Answer: If the project were approved,
ABO Wind would agree a bond for site decommissioning with Fife Council.
ABO Wind as developer of the wind farm would be responsible for restoration
of the site to its former state. |
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| When will the additional photomontages be available? |
| Answer: In response to requests at the
Public Exhibition we are preparing additional photomontages from locations
in and around Saline. These should be available during February
2009. |
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| Is ABO Wind considering any other sites in the
area? |
| Answer: ABO Wind is considering other
sites in Fife and in Scotland, but this information is confidential at
this stage. |
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| Please provide grid reference locations for the
turbines |
Answer: Turbine grid references will be
provided as part of the Environmental Impact Assessment when it is published.
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| General
Questions |
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What is the methodology for calculating energy
pay back time for wind farms?
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Answer: Please see the following link:
www.renewableenergyworld.com
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What is the GW installed capacity in the UK?
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Answer: The following information is from
the British Wind Energy Association. As of 28th January, 2009 the
installed wind capacity in the UK was calculated at 3,289 Megawatts.
For current information please see: www.bwea.com
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| How much CO2 has been saved through wind farms
in the UK and Europe? |
Answer: For current information on the
installed capacity of wind farms in the UK and CO2 savings please see:
www.bwea.com
As of the end of 2007, the installed capacity of onshore wind power in
Europe was 57,136MW. For further information please see: www.ewea.org
(PDF)
As of the end of 2007, the installed capacity of wind power globally was
94,122 MW. For further information please see: www.ewea.org
(PDF)
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| Are ROCS paid when turbines are not producing? |
| Answer: Renewables Obligation Certificates
(ROCS) are issued for each megawatt hour (MWh) of renewable output generated,
so turbines need to be operating for ROCS to be issued. |
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| Are there examples of wind farm sites on low
ground with low wind speeds? Turbines over 120m? Sites with
houses within 1,000m of turbines? |
Answer: The Burton Wold and Milton Keynes
Wind Farms are examples of low wind speed sites in the Midlands.
Burton Wold is an operational wind farm and Milton Keynes was recently
approved.
We understand that the Whitelee, Dalswinton, Minsca and Wardlaw Wood Wind
Farms have turbines around the 120m+ mark.
The Michelin factory in Dundee is a Scottish example of a site close to
residential areas. |
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Other operators will not consider sites within
750m of residential properties why is ABO not adopting this policy?
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| Answer: ABO Wind`s experience is that
a distance of 500m to houses is a good starting point for planning wind
farms. In the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) we will be required
to prove that the turbine layout fulfils all required environmental guidelines
and thresholds. |
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| Why is ABO not following planning guidance on
the 2km buffer zones to settlements? |
| Answer: Our understanding of the planning
guidance is that a 2km buffer around towns is meant for projects larger
than 20MW. The Northwest Saline proposal is 12.5MW. |
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| What noises can be expected at what range from
a wind turbine? |
Answer: The table below gives an indication
of noise levels from various activities including the noise from a wind
farm at 350m.
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Indicative
noise level dB (A) |
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0
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| Rural night-time background |
20-40
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| Quiet bedroom |
35
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| Wind farm at 350m |
35-45
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| Car at 40mph at 100m |
55 |
| Busy general office |
60 |
| Truck at 30mph at 100m |
65 |
| Pneumatic drill at 7m |
95 |
| Jet aircraft at 250m |
105 |
| Threshold of pain |
140 |
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What non-audible noise can be experienced from
a wind farm?
What other type of disturbance can be experienced?
What research exists into how these disturbances such as low frequency
noise affect people?
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Answer: Low frequency noise or infrasound
has a smaller wavelength and generally travels further than high frequency
noise. There is a perception by some that infrasound can affect
people even though they cannot hear it, however this is not true.
There are no direct health effects from noise at the level of noise generated
by modern wind turbines. It has been repeatedly shown by measurements
of wind turbine noise undertaken in the UK, Denmark, Germany and the USA
over the past decade, that the levels of infrasonic noise and vibration
radiated from modern, upwind configuration wind turbines are at a very
low level; so low that they lie below the threshold of perception, even
for those people who are particularly sensitive to such noise, and even
on an actual wind turbine site.
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| Does the height of a turbine or blade length
make a difference to the amount of noise? |
Answer: Each model of wind turbine has
a unique sound power level and this data is used to model the predicted
noise for a specific wind farm in a specific area. As stated above,
the requirements of British noise guideline ETSU – R – 97 must be met
in order to gain planning approval.
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Why is there 35dB of noise in a ‘quiet’ bedroom?
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| Answer: Indicative noise levels were provided
in the table below to give an idea of the noise from a wind farm compared
to other common noises. A situation with absolutely no noise (0
DB) is very uncommon, as this is the threshold of normal hearing.
Even in a quiet house in a quiet area there are soft noises from plumbing,
fridges and other devices, plus noises from outside – 40 dB is a normal
noise level in a quiet house. |
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| Source/Activity
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Indicative
noise level dB (A) |
| Threshold of hearing |
0
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| Rural night-time background |
20-40
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| Quiet bedroom |
35
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| Wind farm at 350m |
35-45
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| Car at 40mph at 100m |
55 |
| Busy general office |
60 |
| Truck at 30mph at 100m |
65 |
| Pneumatic drill at 7m |
95 |
| Jet aircraft at 250m |
105 |
| Threshold of pain |
140 |
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