Tees Valley Resource Efficiency Club Half Day Workshop Energy Management Renewable Energy

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Tees Valley Resource Efficiency Club Half Day
WorkshopEnergy ManagementRenewable Energy
Paul McQuillan EIA Consultant Atkins
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Why consider renewable energy?

• Prices of fossil fuels and electricity are likely
  to rise in the future
• Carbon targets for buildings (the Merton Rule)
• Government incentives and grant funding may be
  available
• Green credentials status

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Renewable energy options

• Wind
• Solar PV
• Solar Thermal
• Bioenergy (biofuels)
• Ground source heat pumps (geothermal)
• Not discussing hydroelectricity, tidal, wave or
  offshore wind

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Renewable energy options

• Electricity
• Wind
• Solar PV
• Space heating
• Biomass
• Ground source heat pumps
• Hot water
• Solar thermal

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Wind

• Wind used to create electricity
• Energy output determined by wind speed
• Turbine changes direction to face wind
  direction
• Energy output increases with rotor diameter

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Solar PV

• Uses solar energy to create electricity
• Best location is south facing and 50 angle
• Duration and strength of sunlight hours in a
  year
• Energy output is determined by area of PV cells

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Bioenergy

• Uses biological materials to derive heat
  energy
• Energy derived from wood, straw, crops, animal
  waste
• Energy output determined by the material and
  the boiler
• Environmental impacts of combustion of wastes
• Availability of biomass fuels
• Carbon neutrality?

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Ground source heat pumps

• Uses geothermal energy to create heat energy
• Open loop, closed vertical loop or closed
  horizontal loop
• Sub surface temperature stable at 10 C to
  12C
• Available land

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Solar Thermal

• Use solar energy to create hot water
• Best location is south facing
• Flat plate or evacuated tube
• Energy output is determined by surface area

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How do you know which is suitable

• Solar roof space
• Geothermal land available
• Bioenergy boiler
• Wind height above ground

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How do you know which is suitable
DTI wind speed database
Power 0.5 x density of air x area x velocity3
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Grant funding available

• Low Carbon Buildings Programme
• Applications for 2007 are closed
• Further funding may available to commercial
  organisations from March 2007.
• Large commercial organisations including
  developers could apply for up to 40 of the total
  installation costs.
• Small to medium sized enterprises (SMEs) were
  entitled to an extra 10 uplift and could apply
  for up to 50 of the total installation costs.
• Stream 2A - was allocated over five funding
  rounds with maximum grants of 100k or 40-50 of
  total costs (excl. VAT). Stream 2A closed on 28
  September 2007.
• Stream 2B - was allocated over four funding
  rounds with a maximum grant of 1m or 40-50 of
  total costs (excl. VAT). Stream 2B closed on 14
  September 2007
• See the website at www.lowcarbonbuildings.org.uk

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Grant funding available

• Enhanced Capital Allowance Scheme
• Enhanced Capital Allowances (ECAs) enable a
  business to claim 100 first-year capital
  allowances on their spending on qualifying plant
  and machinery. There are three schemes for ECAs
• Energy-saving plant and machinery
• Low carbon dioxide emission cars and natural gas
  and hydrogen refuelling infrastructure
• Water conservation plant and machinery
• Businesses can write off the whole of the capital
  cost of their investment in these technologies
  against their taxable profits of the period
  during which they make the investment.
• This can deliver a helpful cash flow boost and a
  shortened payback period.

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Grant funding available

• Carbon Trust Interest Free Loans
• Energy-Efficiency Loans from the Carbon Trust are
  a cost effective way to replace or upgrade your
  existing equipment with a more energy efficient
  version.
• Small or medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in
  England could borrow from 5,000 to 100,000. It
  is unsecured, interest free and repayable over a
  period of up to 4 years.
• See www.carbontrust.co.uk/energy/takingaction/loan
  s.htm

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Grid connection or not?

• Unit cost to sell to grid is 3p per kWh
  (approximately)
• Unit cost to buy from grid is 6-10p per kWh
  (approximately)

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Planning issues - wind energy
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Key planning constraints

• Residential Amenity
• Noise
• Shadow Flicker
• Aeronautical Impacts
• Civil
• Military
• Radio-Communication Link Impacts
• Ecology
• Visual Impact

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Noise

• Two distinct types of noise source
• Mechanical Noise - produced by the gearbox,
  generator and other parts of the drive train
• Aerodynamic Noise - produced by the passage of
  the blades through the air
• Recommended Good Practice on Controlling Noise
  from Wind Turbines
• The Assessment and Rating of Noise from Wind
  Farms (ETSU for DTI 1997)
• describes a framework for the measurement of
  wind farm noise and gives indicative
• noise levels calculated to offer a reasonable
  degree of protection to wind farm neighbours
• ..should be used by planning authorities
  when assessing and rating noise from
• wind energy developments
• Planning Policy Statement 22 Renewable Energy,
  Companion Guide

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Noise
Without background noise data - requirement to
demonstrate turbine noise at the nearest
residential property is lt35dB. - Turbines gt
225kW typically a separation distance of 400m
- Micro-generation (i.e Turbines lt 20kW)
typically a separation distance 170m With
background noise data requirement to
demonstrate turbine noise at nearest residential
property is lt 5 dB(A) above background
levels Noise from the wind farm should be
limited to 5 dB(A) above background for both
day- and night-time. (ETSU, 1997) - Turbines
gt 225kW typically a separation distance of
350m
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Noise Constraints - Solutions
Ensure a satisfactory separation distance can be
achieved Commission an appropriate level of
background noise assessment work
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Shadow Flicker
Under certain combinations of geographical
position and time of day, the sun may pass
behind the rotors of a wind turbine and cast a
shadow over neighbouring properties. When the
blades rotate, the shadow flicks on and off the
effect is known as shadow flicker. It only
occurs inside buildings where the flicker appears
through a narrow window opening. PPS22 Companion
Guide Only properties within 130 degrees either
side of north, relative to the turbines can be
affected at these latitudes in the UK Flicker
effects have been proven to occur only within ten
rotor diameters of a turbine i.e. 80m diameter
turbine blades potential shadow flicker up to
800m
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Shadow Flicker - Solutions
Avoid sites with large populations of residential
properties close to the turbine and immediately
to the north Commission a shadow flicker
assessment to assess nos. of affected
properties Fit a photosensitive cell to the wind
turbine
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Aeronautical - Civil
Key Consultees gt Civil Aviation Authority
(CAA) gt National Air Traffic Services (NATs) gt
Aerodromes within 30km of proposed wind turbine
(Newcastle Airport Durham Tees Valley
Airport) Other Interests gt Unlicensed
Aerodromes gt Parachuting Activities gt
Hang-gliding, other aviation/leisure activities
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Aeronautical - Civil
Two main impacts 1. Physical Safeguarding 2.
Technical Safeguarding Airports consulted on
wind turbine applications will usually object
where i) a turbine is visible to airport
radar ii) the turbine breaches airport protected
surfaces Often objections are reconsidered
if/when the developer provides information to
demonstrate that the safe operation of the
Airport will not be compromised.
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Aeronautical - Civil
Solutions Liase with statutory consultees at an
early stage Appropriate Layout and Design to
mitigate against possible impacts Commission any
necessary aeronautical assessment
work Investigate impact upon other
aeronautical interests
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Aeronautical - Military
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) frequently objects
to wind energy proposals where there is
potential conflict with military aviation and
radar systems, particularly air defence radar
systems. Early consultation required (responses
typically take 12 weeks). RAF Leeming (Tornado
Main Operating Base and contains a UK Air
Defence Radar and Rapid Response Unit)
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Radio-Communication Link Impact
Invisible and often ignored as an issue
Often viewed as a soft constraint, however,
where turbine location options are limited
this can significantly impact upon a
scheme Comprehensive consultation is
crucial
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Radio-Communication Link Impact
Solutions Avoid locations close to
Telecommunication Masts Consult with Ofcom at an
early stage Commission any necessary link impact
assessment work
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Ecology
Brownfield sites less constrained in terms of
Ecological interests than rural wind farm
sites. Major issues can still be raised
particularly on those industrial sites situated
in riverside or coastal locations. Common
issues gt Birds gt Bats gt Great Crested
Newts gt Water Voles
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Ecology
Solutions Avoid locations immediately adjacent
to Ecological designations (i.e. Sites of
Special Scientific Interest, Ramsar sites
etc.) Consult with Natural England (formerly
English Nature), the RSPB and the Local Wildlife
Trust at an early stage Be prepared to undertake
some on-site bird/bat monitoring and factor this
into the project timetable
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Ecology
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Visual Impact
A subjective and emotive issue Major issue on
Greenfield sites, not normally given as much
weight on industrial sites Solutions Avoid
visually sensitive locations Undertake a Visual
Assessment of the proposal in liaison with the
Local Planning Authority
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Other Planning Issues

• Archaeology
• TV Reception
• Red Herrings
• Ice throw
• Distraction to Drivers
• Low frequency noise - dB(C)
• Affect on property value
• Economics of wind energy

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Space available for development
Is there enough space on-site for a wind turbine?

• Things to consider
• Rotor Swept Area
• Topple Distance
• (from roads, railways, powerlines etc.)
• Sheltering/Turbulence
• Health and Safety
• Indicative dimensions
• gt 225kW turbine - 47m max tip height
• 13.5m rotor
  radius
• gt 2-3MW turbine - 125m max tip
  height
• 45m rotor
  radius

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On-Site/Installation Constraints

• gt Access
• gt Ground Conditions
• gt Underground Services
• gt Grid Connection
• gt Health and Safety/Risk Assessment
• Solution
• Undertake the necessary assessments at the
  earliest opportunity.

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Unpredictable factors

• Objections
• gt Residents
• gt Other Third Parties
• Local Planning Authority
• The Development Control Committee

Solution A comprehensive consultation and PR
process which involves the local community and
other relevant third parties and involve the
local planning authority in pre-application
discussions
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Micro-Generation

• Typically turbines lt 20kW
• 15kW 20kW Turbines up to 20m tip height
• Estimated 4 month lead in time
• Economics not particularly attractive
  difficult to see how they can pay for themselves
  without grant assistance

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225kW - sub 850kW Wind Turbines

• A good option on difficult sites
• Can be difficult to find a manufacturer
• Best option could be reconditioned machines
  from re-powered sites in Europe
• Turbine availability ( type of turbine
  available) is extremely dynamic

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850kW - 3MW Wind Turbines

• An excellent investment on the right site
• Pay back period approximately 5 years
• Lengthy lead in times (worse case scenario 18
  months)