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Balnamoon Renewables Birsay Energy Bogfechel Burgar Hill Costa Orkney Renewables Hammars Hill Summary
Orkney Renewable Energy Ltd
Burray wind turbine; Vestas V52 850kW
There are three existing windfarms in Orkney however it was recognised that the fullest benefits were not being made available to the Orkney community. Conventional projects offer a percentage of generation revenue to the landowner, currently around 3 to 5%, and local companies have been awarded contracts from design to commissioning. However, all profits from the Orkney windfarms have gone to organisations outwith the islands.
The Burray project was instigated within the Orkney Renewable Energy Forum, an organisation established by those involved in renewable energy projects in the islands. A member of the forum has a family farm on the island of Burray, and following discussions within the forum, it was felt that the companies who had built the existing projects on Orkney could equally design and develop a locally owned project. A dedicated company was established, and a project put forward for planning approval. Consent for a single 900 kW wind turbine was duly awarded in 2002, and a mechanism of local ownership established.
The Burray project was fully funded by local investment, with all revenues retained within Orkney. In addition there is a local community investment fund distributed each year to Burray Community Association and other charities. The annual income from this project, after allowing for all construction work and operations and maintenance is in excess of £200,000 per annum, compared with a maximum of £10,000 that would normally be made available to the landowner and community. Locally-owned wind energy developments are essential to ensure maximum returns to the community while at the same time minimising environmental and social impacts.
The turbine has now been running for five years, and has been an unqualified success. Orkney Sustainable Energy are site managers, and the turbine is one of the most productive machines of its size in the world. Following on from this success the company was awarded planning consent for a new project on Deerness, the most eastern part of mainland Orkney; construction of a 900kW turbine is due to commence in summer 2010
Proposed Thorkell wind turbine, Deerness
Balnamoon Renewables Birsay Energy Bogfechel Burgar Hill Costa Orkney Renewables Hammars Hill Summary
