We are planning a windfarm with up to 35 turbines in Dyfnant Forest in North Powys.
The area being considered includes land wholly within the Forestry Commission Wales' (FCW) Dyfnant Forest. Please see site boundary plan here. Early Investigations have identified this area as a good site for the harvesting of renewable energy and ScottishPower Renewables are currently conducting further feasibility studies to determine the sites potential.
The site was initially awarded to Iberdrola (SPRs parent company) through a successful bid process with FCW tender within TAN 8 Strategic Search Area (SSA) B. SPR are therefore tenants of the forest.
ScottishPower Renewables have mapped the UK in terms of the major constraints such as aviation, national and international landscape and ecological designations, and to determine whether there is available capacity on the existing grid network. The UK has also been mapped in terms of wind speed. This map can be viewed on the NOABL website. Within the areas that are still potentially available to be developed, landowners are then consulted. Once there is a possibility of a windfarm it is passed to the Project Development team and we look into the site-specific aspects such as ecology, cultural heritage, access, noise and visual aspects to determine whether the site is a viable and an appropriate option.
The proposed capacity of the site has not yet been fully established but taking into account the constraints that have been identified to date and the area of land available it is expected that the development will consist of up to 35 turbines with a total site generating capacity of up to 120 megawatts (MW), enough clean, green energy to power approximately 65,000 homes. The scale of the wind turbines proposed has not yet been established but provisional modelling of the site is utilising turbines with a tip height of up to 185m. However, this will be defined by the outcome of the consultation process and the Landscape and Visual Assessment.
As a general rule of thumb it is assumed that costs to build a windfarm are around £2 million per turbine at today's rate. This figure includes turbine manufacture, its delivery, its installation, as well as any infrastructure costs associated with the formation of any access tracks. It also includes for the energisation of the turbine, which would then allow it to export electricity to the grid. It is estimated that this cost is repaid within 4 to 5 years of operation.
The turbine manufacturers generally specify a turbine life of 25 years and therefore, within the detail of any planning application; we normally make reference to a 25-year operational life. We ensure that the timeframe requested for planning permission also covers the time required to construct and eventually decommission the site.
Why this is a good area for a windfarm:
• Good wind speed
• Within TAN8 search area
• Accessible site
• Not in a designated protected area