Photomontage of the site. Click for a larger version.
The site
The two turbines are situated on Mynydd y Gwrhyd which is 20 miles north of Swansea. One turbine is on common land and the other on adjacent farmland. Options/Leases are in place with both landowners. The site has full current planning permission for two wind turbines, access track, substation and work compound and a secure grid connection.
We started construction on 14th March 2016 and build was completed on schedule.
The wind resource
A Wind Resource Assessment has been undertaken by Dulas Ltd based on two years’ onsite data from a 60m met mast. This data has been correlated to local Met Office data. Dulas have predicted a 20-year average yield of 12,404 MWh/year (P50) based on the warranted Power Curve for this turbine.
This P50 figure is an energy output prediction which takes account of losses in the system. Enercon E82 2.35MW turbines have been selected and we have signed a Turbine Supply Agreement. Enercon has an excellent reputation for turbine design and has shown real commitment to the community energy sector in the UK, supplying many of the turbines in use.
Turbine details
E-82 E4 nacelle cross-section
- Slip ring unit
- Hub
- Blade adapter
- Generator stator
- Generator rotor
- Stator shield
- Rectifier cabinet
- Generator filter cabinet
- Excitation controller box
- Nacelle converter cabinet
- Yaw drives
- Main carrier
- Blade extension
- Rotor blade
Site investigation
Natural Power completed a Site Investigation in July 2014 which included 50m boreholes at the turbine and substation locations, and trial pitting across the whole site. No problematic ground conditions were identified so a normal construction is expected.
Civil engineering
Following a competitive tendering process, an experienced civil engineering contractor, Raymond Brown Construction, has been appointed to build the scheme. They are a local company and have built a large number of wind farms across the UK. They have an excellent relationship with Enercon, having built 50% of their turbines in the UK.
Electricity sale and income
The electricity produced by the turbines will be exported into the local grid via a 33kW connection 300m from the site. The grid connection has been secured by a deposit for the full 4.7MW capacity.
The Co-op will seek to maximise income by obtaining quotes from the leading buyers of renewable energy for power purchase.
In addition, the Co-op will receive the Feed-in Tariff (FiT). Preliminary Accreditation for the FiT was applied for in September 2015 in order to ensure the FiT rate then in force, 2.8p/kWh, will apply to this project. Preliminary Accreditation holds the current rate for 18 months and the turbines must be generating before the end of March 2017.