3-1 © Wood Environment & Infrastructure Solutions UK Limited 3. Scheme Need, Alternatives and Iterative Design Process 3.1 Need for the Project 3.1.1 As set out in the revised Planning Statement 2020 and EIA Chapter 5, Scottish planning and energy policy provides strong support for wind development in principle and encourages local authorities to guide developments towards appropriate locations. 3.1.2 The Onshore Wind Policy Statement (December 2017) confirms the continuing importance of onshore wind, for meeting climate change targets; confirming that onshore wind is a vital component of the economic opportunity that renewables more generally create for Scotland. The Policy Statement identifies that the important role for onshore wind means that development in the right places must be supported, and – increasingly – the extension and replacement of existing sites, where acceptable, with new and larger turbines, based on an appropriate, case by case assessment of their effects and impacts. 3.1.3 The Scottish Energy Strategy (December 2017) and the Onshore Wind Policy Statement both recognise the role of onshore wind as a key contributor to the delivery of renewable energy targets – specifically the new 2030 50% energy from renewable sources target. 3.1.4 The Proposed Development would represent a significant contribution, not just in terms of renewable energy output, but in the savings associated with C02 output (see AI Appendix 9H: Peat Management Plan for calculations and information) and the revised Planning Statement 2020. The increase in renewable energy output as a result of the Proposed Development would ensure further progress towards meeting the national and international targets in limiting the amount of greenhouse gas emissions outlined in EIA Chapter 5. 3.1.5 The Scottish Government target to deliver the equivalent of 100% of Scottish electricity consumption from renewables by 2020 equates to around 16GW of installed renewables capacity. However, the 50% energy from renewable sources by 2030 target in the Scottish Energy Strategy may require in the region of 17GW of installed renewables capacity by 2030. 3.1.6 Figures released in the Energy Statistics for Scotland (December 2019) show that as of September 2019, 11.7GW of renewable electricity capacity was operational in Scotland (an increase of 0.9GW compared with September 2018). The installed capacity of the Proposed Development would help to reduce the still significant shortfall predicted against the Scottish 2020 renewable energy generation target. It would make an important contribution to the 2030 target, which the Scottish Government has identified may require renewable electricity to generate 140% of Scotland’s electricity needs for the energy target to be met. 3.1.7 In addition to the above, it is important to note, that the targets and policies were set prior to the ‘climate emergency’ which was declared by the First Minister in Scotland in April 2019, and in UK Parliament in May 2019 and the new ‘net zero’ target now in force through the Climate Change (Emissions Reduction Targets)(Scotland) Act 2019. The “Net Zero- The UK’s contribution to the stopping global warming May 2019 Report” states that ”In Scotland, we recommend a net-zero date of 2045, reflecting Scotland’s greater relative capacity to remove emissions than the UK as a whole.” 3.1.8 Following the First Minister’s declaration of a global climate emergency in April 2019, and receipt of advice from the UK Committee on Climate Change in May 2019, the Scottish Government lodged amendments to the Bill to set a net-zero emissions target for 2045, and to increase the targets for January 2020 Doc Ref:..40001CGoS0581R 3-2 © Wood Environment & Infrastructure Solutions UK Limited 2030 [to 70% reduction] and 2040 [to 90% reduction]. The Scottish Parliament’s Environment Committee voted in favour of these targets at Stage 2 in June 2019. 3.2 Site Selection Process and Consideration of Alternatives 3.2.1 The careful selection of potential wind farm sites is a critical aspect of the overall wind farm development process. In this instance, the Development Site was originally identified through a study commissioned in 2008 by the Scottish Government and undertaken by Halcrow Group Ltd with the key objective “…to help the Western Isles to deliver economic and community benefit by identifying renewable energy potential, including the role for different scales of energy generation compatible with environmental obligations”. 3.2.2 In January 2009, results of the study were published in the Economic and Community Benefit Study, Final Report (the ‘Halcrow Report’). The study was undertaken in conjunction with key economic and environmental stakeholders: Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH), Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), Comhairle nan Eilean Siar (CnES), Highland and Island Enterprise (HIE) and the Scottish Government. 3.2.3 A sustainability appraisal undertaken as part of this study identified that there was strong stakeholder support for a large-scale commercial wind farm development near Stornoway, but less so in most rural areas of Lewis. The sustainability appraisal identified that the only feasible area for a large-scale onshore wind farm development in North Lewis was an area south-west of Stornoway, outside of the Lewis Peatlands Special Protection Area (SPA). 3.2.4 The Stornoway Wind Farm site is based on this area identified in the Halcrow Report. The Development Site boundary lies immediately to the south-east of the Lewis Peatlands SPA and RAMSAR site and at its closest approximately 900m south-east of the Lewis Peatlands Special Area of Conservation (SAC). 3.2.5 The Applicant has been involved with the development of the Development Site for a number of years and has found that it remains suitable for a wind farm due to the following factors: ⚫ Good wind speeds; ⚫ Suitable separation distance from residential properties and an absence of settlements within 1.5km; ⚫ Availability of land; ⚫ Potential grid connection; ⚫ Ability of landscape area to accommodate wind farm development of the scale proposed; ⚫ Suitable land area to accommodate wind turbines; ⚫ Nature of land uses; ⚫ Access; ⚫ Ground conditions; ⚫ The absence of internationally and nationally designated ecological and landscape sites within the Development Site; ⚫ Aviation considerations in terms of the ability to provide suitable mitigation. 3.2.6 Detailed feasibility studies were carried out by the Applicant to closely examine the suitability of the Development Site in terms of the above criteria and in summary: January 2020 Doc Ref:..40001CGoS0581R 3-3 © Wood Environment & Infrastructure Solutions UK Limited ⚫ The national wind speed database (known as the Numerical Objective Analysis Boundary Layer (NOABL)) estimated that wind speeds across the Development Site were in the range of 7.8- 8.7m/s for the 45m above ground layer dataset; ⚫ The Development Site consists of a mixture of open moorland with areas of stunted woodland and includes many watercourses and lochs. Parts are used for livestock grazing and have been man-modified by the operational Beinn Grideag Wind Farm and current and historic peat- cutting; ⚫ The Development Site does not have any landscape or nature conservation designations and there are no Scheduled Monuments, Listed Buildings, Conservation Areas or Gardens and Designed Landscapes within it; ⚫ The Development Site lies within the Boggy Moorland Landscape Character Type that is considered to be of “Low-Medium Sensitivity” from a landscape perspective, is resilient to change and is able to absorb development in many situations without significant character change; ⚫ Electrical connection is feasible; ⚫ The Development Site is accessible from adjoining roads. 3.2.7 For the above reasons, the Development Site was considered suitable for detailed investigation as a wind farm location. 3.2.8 The Consented Development provides confirmation that the Development Site is suitable for a commercial-scale wind farm development. The design evolution for the Proposed Development commenced with the Consented Development (the 36 turbine wind farm), but with a technical objective of utilising larger and more productive turbines that reflected the latest technological advances for manufacture and design. A number of design iterations for the Development Site were prepared, which are discussed in Section 3.5. 3.3 Site Context 3.3.1 The Development Site is located to the west of the town of Stornoway on the Isle of Lewis, with the nearest residential property found around 1.8km from the nearest turbine location. Figure 1.1 and 1.2 illustrate the Development Site location in local and regional contexts. 3.3.2 The topography of the Development Site ranges between approximately 50 – 150m Above Ordnance Datum (AOD); with three hillocks in its northern, central and southern areas. There are some areas of stunted woodland within the Development Site; however, the majority of vegetation comprises blanket bog and associated mosses and heather. There are a number of watercourses and lochs/lochans within the Development Site, none of which are designated. The former Bardon Quarry, (which is now a landfill) and Marybank Quarry (an active site) are located within the northern section of the Development Site, near Loch Airigh na Lic. 3.3.3 Other than the residential area of Stornoway to the east, the area surrounding the Development Site consists of boggy, undeveloped peatland. 3.3.4 The closest occupied residential property to the Proposed Development is situated within the settlement of Marybank, and is located 1.8km from the nearest turbine (T20). Immediately to the west of the Development Site lies the Lewis Peatlands RAMSAR, SPA and SAC, however the Development Site itself is not subject to any environmental designations. 3.3.5 The Proposed Development for which consent is sought and to which this EIA relates, is described in AI Chapter 4 Project Description. January 2020 Doc Ref:..40001CGoS0581R 3-4 © Wood Environment & Infrastructure Solutions UK Limited 3.4 Wind Farm Design Strategy 3.4.1 This section details the approach to wind farm design that was adopted for the Proposed Development.