Burradale wind farm owners build new 3MW turbine on former SSE site

A family-owned firm has erected a large wind turbine on a site in Shetland acquired from energy giant SSE.

 Shetland Aerogenerators, operators of the 15-year-old Burradale Wind Farm, one of the most productive in the world, has put up a 3MW Enercon machine at Luggie’s Knowe near Lerwick. The tower, generator and blade sections were lifted into place by a 750-tonne Liebherr crane with a reach of 85m. The crane was transported to Shetland by the German turbine manufacturer specially for the lift. Commissioning work and grid connection will follow.

 With a tip height of 121m, the Enercon E-82 E4 is Shetland’s largest so far. The Viking Energy project has planning approval for slightly larger 3.6MW machines. Shetland Aerogenerators took over the development from SSE. Commercial funding for the project was arranged with Lombard Finance.

 The power from the turbine will be exported through SSE's Active Network Management system, which was introduced as part of the NINES (Northern Isles New Energy Solutions) project. NINES is designed to let more renewable sources feed in to the local electricity grid.

 Shetland Aerogenerators managing director Angus Ward said:

“We originally thought the project could only be built out next year but thanks mainly to the goodwill of SSE we've been able to bring everything forward. “The Enercon is a highly sophisticated machine which will continue producing clean electricity even in high wind conditions.”

 Director David Thomson added that the civil works, including excavations, construction of the access road and pouring of the concrete base, had been very ably carried out by local firm Garriock Bros while Orkney firm Bryan J Rendall is doing the specialist electrical works.

 “It’s very exciting and satisfying to see the project, which we've been working on for the past year, come to fruition and now we can look forward to the commissioning phase.”

Isles groups must be connected - call from industry

 Scottish Renewables has called for all three Scottish island groups to be connected to the mainland of Scotland as part of the development of the country's energy industry in the wake of the independence referendum.

Full story from Shetland News here: http://www.shetnews.co.uk/news/9357-industry-wants-isles-connected-by-2020

Seaweed energy? Shetland project could provide fuel for future

Cultivated Shetland seaweed could provide a fuel for the future both in the isles and as an export, according to a scientist from the North Atlantic Fisheries College (NAFC)Marine Centre in Scalloway.

 A Coastal Communities Fund grant of £290,000 has been awarded to the centre for a project aimed at developing local seaweed cultivation. 


Full story from The Shetland Times here. http://www.shetlandtimes.co.uk/2014/03/12/290000-to-develop-seaweed-growing/

Third Eco Flag for wind-powered Shetland school

Urafirth Primary School in Hillswick has just been awarded its third 'eco flag', recognising its commitment to the environment, work towards sustainability and longstanding status as one Shetland's first users of windpower in an educational context

The school's mini-croft - featuring raised beds - and polytunnel were singled out for praise by Eco Schools Scotland as efforts continue at Urafirth to use food grown locally - and sometimes by the children themselves. Beautiful floral displays also lend colour to the school environment.

Road safety and a commitment to keeping the area tidy and beautiful are also priorities.

Since 2011, a Proven P11 six-kilowatt wind turbine has operated with great success in all weather conditions at Urafirth, supplying electricity to the school and selling surplus to the grid. The school pioneered wind energy in Shetland education  a decade ago with a different model of wind turbine.

Shetland Islands Council told Power from the North that 34 schools in the isles are registered with the Eco Schools programme.  Nineteen of these have achieved the Green Flag status on at least one occasion.  As this is assessed every two years some have five 'flags'.  A further four schools have bronze or silver awards – which are stages before full flag status.  Nine are currently getting their paperwork together, although a number of these are probably at full flag status already.