Renewable Energy
Location, location, location – finding the perfect site for a wind farm
Finding the best possible sites for new wind farms is a complex and challenging task which demands some very sophisticated processes. Samuel Clarke provides an insight into how their experts routinely and successfully tackle the job.
Encontrar las mejores ubicaciones para la instalación de nuevos parques eólicos es una tarea compleja y desafiante que requiere de procesos extremadamente sofisticados. Samuel Clarke explica cómo sus expertos se enfrentan a este trabajo de manera eficaz y rutinaria.
Die Wahl des bestmöglichen Standorts für einen neuen Windpark ist eine komplexe und schwierige Aufgabe, die eine Reihe sehr aufwändiger Prozesse involviert. Samuel Clarke gewährt einen Einblick, wie ihre Experten diese Aufgabe routinemäßig und mit Erfolg bewältigen.
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dvanced geographical information system (GIS) methodology which combines database information with mapping and modelling is at the heart of the process. Even
where wind farm developers have their own in house GIS capability, it can often be faster and more cost-effective for an external consultancy to carry out in just a few weeks the intensive research programme that’s required. Te parameters used to identify sites can be fine-tuned to suit the individual requirements of any developer – such as wind farm and turbine size, minimum wind speed, distance from houses, designated areas, roads, rail and proximity to the electrical distribution grid. Te size of overall land areas reviewed can vary widely from 20 000m² up to 2000hectares or more. Projects are typically completed in several key stages, starting with constraint mapping to eliminate unsuitable areas.
Mapping the constraints
Reviewing all the constraints that can limit the best sites to go for can include a long list of considerations including available wind resource, noise, environment, history, landscape, aviation, air defence, electrical connectivity and electro- magnetic interference – as well as the location of roads, railways and rivers, and slope gradients. First, wind resource. Data is taken from the
45m above ground level (AGL) 1km2 resolution UK Wind Atlas published by BERR and data is adjusted using a standard log law function to represent the annual mean wind speed (AMWS) at 80m AGL – a height chosen to represent a typical 2MW turbine. Te data is then processed via GIS to select only those 1km squares that have an AMWS of 6.5m/s or greater – an economic cut off point. Noise is next. Te actual distance necessary
Fig. 1. Finding the best possible sites for new wind farms is a complex and challenging task.
to achieve a satisfactory level of detectable noise at a dwelling will depend on the type of wind
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turbine and the physical environment, but a set back distance of 600m to dwellings and other buildings is typical. Where the occupier has a financial interest in the wind turbine, a higher level of detectable noise may be acceptable. A higher level is also permitted when background noise levels are higher – for example areas of land adjacent to major transport links. 5dB above background noise levels is usually permitted. Environmental, landscape and historic considerations are often critical and sensitive factors in wind farm site finding. Tey include Sites of Special Scientific Interest, National Parks, and Scheduled Ancient Monuments which are removed from the search area. Aviation and air defence issues are also critical,
in order to avoid any risk of disruption to key installations responsible for security, air safety and meteorology.
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