WIND POWER

Scotrenewables in the Community

Community groups across Orkney are moving ahead with plans to create what is thought to be the biggest wind energy project of its kind in the world.

Planning applications have been lodged by six island development trusts, each keen to use commercial-scale wind turbines as an income stream that will provide their communities a more sustainable future.

Stromness-based Scotrenewables was awarded a contract by HICEC, the Highlands and Islands Community Energy Company, to advise the communities on environmental considerations.

The company has worked alongside development trusts in Stronsay, South Ronaldsay, Eday, Rousay, Hoy and Shapinsay, each of which is seeking to put up its own 900kw wind turbine.

Scotrenewables managing director Barry Johnston said: “After years of campaigning by myself and others for Orkney’s wind energy resource to be used for the benefit of local people, I was delighted to get involved.

“This will collectively be the largest genuinely 100 per cent community owned wind
energy project in the world.

“It shows great vision on behalf of Highlands and Island Enterprise - the funders of
HICEC - and the local community groups that we are now at this stage.”

Orkney’s HICEC representative, Sam Harcus, said: “A lot of effort is going in to making our isles communities more self sustaining and it’s great to see the groups taking these exciting projects forward.”

Each of the groups has the offer of a grid connection under the Active Management Scheme approved for Orkney by the electricity regulator, OFGEM.

This allows a more flexible management of the grid by Scottish Hydro-Electric Power
Distribution Ltd – and potentially creates extra generating capacity for new
renewables projects.

“Developing a project on this scale, across so many isles communities, is a complex task,” Mr Harcus added. “We’re delighted with the enthusiastic and supportive response we’ve had from Scottish Hydro-Electric.”

Stromness Company returns from South America!

FIVE plane journeys, four countries and 9,000 miles later, three representatives of the Stromness company Scotrenewables arrived in the Atacama desert, in the north of Chile in South America, earlier this month. The company have been awarded a contract to undertake multiple wind resource studies for a major copper mining company.

In Chile the major industry is mining for copper and gold, and both are highly profitable at the moment. However, the country is on the verge of a major energy crisis with a requirement to generate double the current capacity in 10 years.

"Chilean companies are very cautious and it have been a huge struggle to get this first contract, particurly being a relatively new company, but we hope now other will follow, particulary in the energy-intensive mining industry."