New turbine built on former SSE site
Work has begun on erecting a 121-metre wind turbine on the former SSE site at Luggie’s Knowe for Shetland Aerogenerators.
A 750-tonne crane with a reach of 85 metre was to lift the tower section of the 3MW German-manufactured Enercon machine. The crane was transported to Shetland by the turbine manufacturer specially for the lift.
The turbine will have a tip height of 121 metres once erected, and will be Shetland’s largest. However, it is slightly smaller than the 3.6MW turbine Viking Energy has planning approval for.
The nacelle section and blades are expected to be lifted and attached to the tower as weather conditions permit. Commissioning work and grid connection will follow.
Shetland Aerogenerators, which owns and operates the Burradale Wind Farm, took over the development, to the north of Lerwick, from SSE.
The power from the turbine will be exported through SSE’s Active Network Management system. It was introduced as part of the Nines (Northern Isles New Energy Solutions) project – designed to let more renewable sources feed into 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 ably carried out by Garriock Bros while Orkney firm Bryan J Rendall is doing the specialist electrical works.
He said: “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.”
JohnTulloch
What’s that? I’ll swear I hear the residents of North Lerwick, Califf and Nesting, booing, in unison with the legions of the fuel poor?
Rachel Buchan
Oh great, another one to spoil the view. At least I won’t be able to hear it, unlike the one that’s nearer my house.
David Spence
I am not so sure about that, Rachel. These devices can emit very low frequencies which can travel some distance.
There is a good documentary movie called ‘ Wind Fall ‘ which depicts the division within a small community of Meredith in NY State. The local Council gave the go ahead for private electricity companies to build huge wind turbines, after bribing the farmers, on very arable land within the area. Once the go head was clear, many farmers realized afterwards they were not allowed to use any of their land within a kilometre radius from the turbine (certain legislation omitted from the legal papers before being signed by the farmer). This caused much confrontation between the community and the private electric companies and most of all, the Council.
It is a typical situation where big business does not give a damn on the impact it has on small communities. Viking Energy will be exactly the same………..money, greed, profit but above all, selfishness is the only laws business believes in.
Ben Ridder
David, the nearest residences to the turbine site are over 1.1km away on the other side of Dales Voe, with the deep water, offshore oil and gas quay in between. To the other side is a sewage works, landfill, and gas-fired power station. It’s one thing to dislike the appearance of wind turbines, but quite another to assume that every wind turbine will cause every environmental nuisance ever documented. Further, claims about low frequency noise are extremely dubious – please refer to the study released last year by the NHMRC in Australia.
iantinkler
“the nearest residences to the turbine site are over 1.1km” pity the recommended distance is 2km. never mind that but just how close are the nearest fuel storage tanks? How close exactly is and gas-fired power station. Does it not seem just a tad foolish to put this structure so close to fuel storage facilities. There is a known fire hazard with wind turbines and no equipment within hundreds of miles which would douse any turbine fire. one would expect burning debris to fall up to 2km plus, downwind of any turbine fire, but who cares, clearly not those whom thought up this clever Nines project. I only hope cooperate manslaughter charges would apply in the event of any tragedy.