March 16, 2015
Scotland

New developer for Yell windfarm project

By Peter Johnson | The Shetland Times | 16/03/2015 | www.shetlandtimes.co.uk

One of the UK’s leading renewable energy companies, Peel Energy, has bought the rights to the proposed Beaw Field Wind Farm near Burravoe.

Peel Energy is expecting to begin a public consultation with the Yell community on the windfarm, which it recently bought from German renewable energy company Enertrag.

The exact size of the proposed development, north-west of Burravoe, has not been determined, but a flyer issued by the company to local households shows the site plan shifted further east to avoid the flight path of aircraft to Scatsta, which will make it more visible to people in Burravoe and the east side of the isle.

It will consist of around 20, 163m turbines producing in the region of 100mW of electricity.

Yell Communty Council chairman Laurence Odie said that Enertrag’s earlier plan had the widespread support of the community, but he would not like to comment on how the new proposal would be received, given the change in visual impact.

Mr Odie, who is a shareholder in the Beaw Field hill, which is owned by the Burravoe Estate, said the shareholders would benefit from dividends, but the wider community would receive funding through the Community Benefit Fund.

Surveys are being undertaken to ensure the potential impact of any new windfarm on the natural environment and surrounding communities is fully understood. The process is being guided by the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) regulations.

Beaw Field Wind Farm development manager Bernadette Barry said: “Peel is committed to providing lasting and tangible benefits to the communities in which it operates. We are keen to ensure that local people are fully engaged throughout the process at Beaw Field and have the opportunity to provide meaningful input into the project design.

“We are currently completing detailed environmental and technical surveys and will soon begin consulting with local communities which will help determine the number and size of the turbines that we propose for the site.”

More information regarding the windfarm development and public consultation events will be released shortly. For more information please visit www.beawfieldwindfarm.co.uk

Peel Energy is involved in the development of wind, tidal, biomass and multi-fuel power plants with carbon capture and storage. The company says it produces enough low carbon energy to power every home in the greater Manchester, Glasgow and Liverpool areas combined.

Peel Energy now generates as much electricity as the whole Peel Group itself consumes. Future plans are focused on new offshore wind farms, a multi-fuelled power station and a significant tidal power scheme by 2020.

Enertrag Ltd, the UK arm of German renewable energy company Enertrag, was wound up at the end of December 2013 after the parent company decided to concentrate on its mainland Europe developments.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2015/03/16/new-developer-for-yell-windfarm-project/