Methlick Farmers Wind Energy Project Technical Description and Environmental Studies Orkney Sustainable Energy Ltd 6 North End Road Stromness Orkney KW16 3AG [email protected] Final Report Methlick Farmers Wind Energy Project August 2006 Methlick Farmers Wind Energy Project Technical Description and Environmental Studies Report OSE/2586 August 2006 Project Developers: Ernest Lee, John Lind and John K Lind Project Coordination: Mike Sobey Overton of Keithfield Methlick Aberdeenshire AB41 7EU Telephone 01651 806412 Email [email protected] Project design: Richard Gauld IEng MInstMC Orkney Sustainable Energy Ltd 6 North End Road Stromness Orkney KW16 3AG Telephone 01856 850054 Facsimile 01856 851239 Email [email protected] OSE/2586 1 Final Report Methlick Farmers Wind Energy Project August 2006 Methlick Farmers Wind Energy Project Report OSE/2586 Technical Description and Environmental Studies This report is presented in two volumes; Volume 1 contains the non-technical summary, the project description, the wind turbine technical description, an ecology assessment, reports on archaeology, transport impacts, electromagnetic Interference, noise and shadow flicker impact and an assessment of possible impacts upon geological and hydrological features. Volume 2 contains the Site Drawings, Maps and Photomontage Images. Section 1 Non-technical Summary and Project Description RICHARD GAULD BSC (HONS), IENG MINSTMC Section 2 Wind Turbine Technical Description Section 3 Ecology Survey PAUL CHAPMAN MA PhD CEnv MIEEM, SAC Section 4 Archaeology Survey DAVID LYNN, BA (HONS), MSC Section 5 Geology, Superficial Deposits and Hydrology GAVIN ELRICK CEnv MIAgrE, SAC Section 6 Environmental Health Impact Assessment RICHARD GAULD BSC (HONS), IENG MINSTMC Section 7 Traffic and Transportation RICHARD GAULD BSC (HONS), IENG MINSTMC Volume 2: Site Drawings, Maps and Photomontage Images OSE/2586 2 Final Report Methlick Farmers Wind Energy Project August 2006 Section 1 Non-Technical Summary and Project Description OSE/2586 3 Final Report Methlick Farmers Wind Energy Project August 2006 SECTION 1 CONTENTS SUMMARY 5 1 INTRODUCTION 6 2 DEVELOPMENT DESCRIPTION 8 2.1 PROPOSED LOCATION 8 2.2 WIND ASSESSMENT 14 2.3 CARBON EMISSION AVOIDANCE 14 2.4 CONSULTATION AND ALTERNATIVE LOCATIONS 14 2.5 PROJECT DESIGN STATEMENT 16 2.6 WIND TURBINE SELECTION 17 2.7 EQUIPMENT SPECIFICATION 20 2.8 TRANSPORTATION 20 2.9 ROADS AND FOUNDATION CONSTRUCTION SUMMARY 20 2.10 WIND TURBINE CONSTRUCTION PROGRAMME 21 2.11 OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE 22 2.12 DECOMMISSIONING 22 3 SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND PLANNING ISSUES 23 3.1 LOCAL INVOLVEMENT 23 3.2 GOVERNANCE AND SUSTAINABILITY 23 3.3 NATIONAL PLANNING CONTEXT 23 3.4 STRUCTURE PLAN CONTEXT 24 3.5 ABERDEENSHIRE COUNCIL LOCAL PLAN 25 3.6 SOCIO-ECONOMIC BENEFITS 26 4 SUMMARY OF ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS 28 4.1 VISUAL IMPACT UPON THE LANDSCAPE 29 4.2 ECOLOGICAL IMPACT 34 4.3 POTENTIAL DISTURBANCE TO ARCHAEOLOGY 35 4.4 IMPACT UPON GEOLOGICAL AND HYDROLOGICAL FEATURES 36 4.5 ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT DURING CONSTRUCTION 38 4.6 POLLUTION IMPACT DURING CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE 38 4.7 POTENTIAL DISTURBANCE FROM NOISE 39 4.8 POTENTIAL DISTURBANCE FROM SHADOW FLICKER 40 4.9 POTENTIAL RADIOCOMMUNICATIONS INTERFERENCE 41 5 ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT AND PROPOSED MITIGATION 42 5.1 VISUAL IMPACT MITIGATION 42 5.2 ECOLOGICAL IMPACT MITIGATION 42 5.3 POLLUTION AVOIDANCE 43 5.4 MITIGATION OF NOISE DISTURBANCE AND SHADOW FLICKER NUISANCE 44 5.5 CONSTRUCTION AND TRANSPORTATION IMPACT MITIGATION 44 6 CONCLUSIONS 45 7 REFERENCES AND BIBLIOGRAPHY 46 OSE/2586 4 Final Report Methlick Farmers Wind Energy Project August 2006 Summary The Methlick Farmers Wind Energy Project is a locally owned wind project being developed by farmers in the Methlick and Oldmeldrum areas of Aberdeenshire, with co-ordination by Mr Mike Sobey. Orkney Sustainable Energy have been contracted to design the project on behalf of the farms. It is proposed that up to six wind turbines be installed on land belonging to the farms, between the communities of Methlick, Fyvie and Tarves, to the north of Oldmeldrum. The preliminary turbine chosen for the development is the RePower MM70 2MW, manufactured in Germany and the UK. The turbine model may change, subject to availability, however for the purposes of this report the MM70 has been used to show a typical machine for the development. The electricity generated will be traded to meet the requirements of the Renewables Order (Scotland) 2002. The concept of a locally owned wind energy development was initiated by the farmers concerned. Following consultation with Aberdeenshire Council Planning department, approaches were made to Aberdeenshire Council archaeology services, Historic Scotland, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, Scottish Natural Heritage, Ministry of Defence, the Civil Aviation Authority, BAA, National Air Traffic Services, OFCOM and the relevant telecommunications companies. No significant concerns have been raised during preliminary consultation, although the SNH did indicate that the project should consider likely impacts upon habitats, species and the landscape. As a result of the various design studies, the development has been reduced in scale, with the wind turbines positioned to avoid shadow impact and to have minimal noise impact upon neighbours. In most cases a single wind turbine will be located at each farm, with the exception of Haddo, where the greater clearance to neighbours has allowed an additional machine. Visual impact studies have been completed, including a set of high quality photomontages and maps showing zones of visual influence. Ecological impact has been considered, including a habitat survey, a mammal survey, and a breeding bird survey. Detailed assessment on the archaeology of the site and surrounding area has been completed and analysis of the development includes a geological and hydrogeological survey, extensive modelling, a description of the wind turbines, detailed maps of the development and a description of the construction process. It was concluded that a small locally owned wind energy project is feasible for this part of Aberdeenshire, with low impacts upon ecology and the local community. Strong social and economic benefits can be achieved by constructing the windfarm, along with the associated climate change benefits resulting from renewable energy production. OSE/2586 5 Final Report Methlick Farmers Wind Energy Project August 2006 1 Introduction Aberdeenshire has the potential to become an important area for wind energy development; a number of projects have been proposed for the county, primarily as large scale windfarms on hilltop and forested locations. The Methlick Farmers project is an alternative to this pattern of development, and has been designed as a small-scale cluster of wind turbines to avoid dominating the landscape, while providing strong economic benefits necessary for the economic security of the local farming community. The project shall also provide a further contribution to the development of clean energy as encompassed within government policy. Orkney Sustainable Energy were approached by the farmers concerned in the spring of 2006, leading to a preliminary design and initial consultation. Once overall turbine heights had been clarified, Defence Estates confirmed that they had no significant concerns, allowing detailed ecological and environmental studies to begin. These studies reduced the number of wind turbines proposed for the area, resulting in the detailed design and development of a six wind turbine project, located on five different farms. The farmers have led the development throughout the process. The Methlick Farmers project has been designed around the RE Power MM70 2MW wind turbine, however the actual turbine model may alter nearer the time of construction; the site layout and all modelling has used a 55m turbine tower height and a maximum of 35m blade length. There are 11 and 33 kV electricity transmission lines connecting the communities of Methlick, Fyvie and Tarves, with the turbines connected to this system using underground cabling via a switchgear building at each farm. The average wind speed in this part of Aberdeenshire is predicted to be between 7.8 and 8.2 metres per second (m/s), compared with 10 m/s predicted at the summits of nearby hilltops. These windspeeds are due to the lower elevation of the sites, chosen with the aim of reducing visual effects and avoiding radar impact. Based on manufacturers predictions, six 2MW wind turbines located on these farms will have a capacity factor of around 31% and produce 33,000 MWh of renewable electricity per annum, equivalent to the domestic requirements of 7000 households, assuming an average consumption of 4,700 kWh per annum.(Boardman et al 1997). Electricity produced from renewable resources avoids the emission of pollution, and the production of 33,000 MWh of wind electricity is projected to avert the production of around 5,000 tonnes of carbon per annum(Carbon Trust). The Methlick Farmers project provides a very good contribution towards the Scottish Executive annual carbon reduction targets; http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Environment/Climate-Change/. OSE/2586 6 Final Report Methlick Farmers Wind Energy Project August 2006 This report is presented in eight sections: Section 1 is a project description of the development, including non technical summaries of the environmental impacts, Section 2 of the report is the specification of the RE Power MM70, Section 3 is the ecology report