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.”

UK Government windfarm subsidy change will not affect Shetland projects

The much-discussed change in subsidy provision for onshore windfarms will not affect major projects planned for Shetland, including Viking Energy.

Shetland Times stort here: http://www.shetlandtimes.co.uk/2015/06/18/renewable-subsidy-change-will-not-affect-isles

Isles could benefit from special wind farm classification

Shetland could benefit from UK Government proposals to classify renewable developments on Scottish island groups as a separate "technology group" to the rest of the onshore industry. 

Consultation has begun on new proposals which could shield Shetland, Orkney and the Western Isles projects from mainland competition for allocations under the 'Contracts for Difference' system.
Full story here: http://renews.biz/66477/island-wind-freed-from-mainland-rivalries/

Refreshed and updated Power From The North magazine now online and in print

A refreshed and updated version of Promote Shetland’s acclaimed Power From The North magazine has been published in print and online, timed to coincide with the Our Islands - Our Future conference in Orkney.

Power From The North showcases Shetland’s massive involvement in energy - both oil and gas and renewables such as wind, tidal and wave power. The enormous potential for development in all these areas is highlighted, from the fabrication of complex carbon fibre structures for wave power companies to the current oil and gas activity west of Shetland.

At a time when Shetland is seeing a boom in hydrocarbon-related activity, Power From The North is a timely reminder that the skills and resources developed in the isles since oil first came ashore can in the future be applied just as rewardingly in the renewables field.

“Shetland is a beautiful and wonderfully satisfying place for tourists to visit,” said Andy Steven of Promote Shetland. “But it is also a powerhouse for a range of industries in oil and gas and renewable electricity. It is crucial that we recognise the importance of this to the isles’ economic future. Power From The North is part of our strategic thinking, in partnership with local industry and other development agencies, on the areas of growth for Shetland over the next decade.”

The Power From The North project also includes this regularly updated blog and a Twitter feed.

Power From The North - the magazine: http://www.shetland.org/energy/shetland-energy-brochure-2013.pdf

Power From The North - the blog: http://powerfromthenorth.blogspot.co.uk/

Power From The North - on Twitter  @powernorth