Centre for Sustainable Energy: Common concerns about wind power

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1 Frequently asked questions Centre for Sustainable Energy: Common concerns about wind power General Do we need to build new generation capacity? Why are we still building wind farms onshore instead of offshore? The Isles Wind Farm Why have we chosen this site? Why did we withdraw the A1 wind farm planning application? County Durham has already reached its renewable targets - why are you proposing additional wind farms? Technical How does a wind turbine generate electricity? How strong does the wind have to blow for the turbines to work? What happens when the wind doesn t blow? How much fossil fuel capacity is needed to back up wind farms? Are wind turbines inefficient? How much electricity could The Isles Wind Farm generate? How much space is needed for a wind turbine? How fast do the blades turn? Why don t wind turbines have lots of blades? Economics Is wind energy expensive? How long does it take to pay back the energy used to build a wind farm? Do wind farms receive subsidies? What is the Renewables Obligation?

2 Local impacts Are wind turbines safe? Are wind turbines noisy? What is shadow flicker? Are there any health implications associated with living near wind turbines? Do wind turbines frighten horses and livestock? Are birds and other wildlife affected by turbines? How will this wind farm affect the value of my house? How will this wind farm affect tourism? Benefits What is in it for me? Consultation Process What is the new planning process? Why is this project going through the IPC? What is the consultation process? What is a SOCC? What are we asking you to do? How do you get involved? When will we submit the application to the IPC? General Do we need to build new generation capacity? The UK will be closing around a third of its power stations over the next decade as investments made during the 1960s and 1970s come to the end of their natural life. So there is a clear need for new plant to be built in this decade to ensure demand can continue to be met. This creates a golden opportunity for the UK to lock into a low carbon future. So what should we build to meet both the short term need of new generation and the long term goal of a low carbon economy? We believe that a diverse mix of low carbon technologies will help to secure our energy needs and manage costs for our customers, whilst delivering on our longer term carbon commitments.

3 Why are we still building wind farms onshore instead of offshore? The Committee on Climate Change, an independent body established under the Climate Change Act to advise the Government on emissions targets, and to report to Parliament on progress made in reducing greenhouse gas emissions has recommended that the UK needs to achieve an 80% cut in total greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, if we are to limit the risks of climate change. The 2050 target was included in the Climate Change Act. Renewable electricity generation, including onshore and offshore wind, will play a vital role in helping to meet these longer term greenhouse gas emission targets. The Committee on Climate Change have also projected that, to put the UK on the path to decarbonising the electricity sector by 2050, total wind capacity will need to increase almost seven fold between now and At the moment, onshore wind is a more mature technology, so is one of the cheapest forms of renewable energy. However, if we are to meet the UK s legally binding 2020 targets and replace ageing fossil plants with lower carbon generation, offshore wind is a key technology that will need to be deployed as well. The Isles Wind Farm Why have we chosen this site? There are only certain areas in the country that have the right conditions for developing a wind farm. These conditions can all be found at the proposed Isles Wind Farm site. Among other things, the site has good wind speeds, connections to the national grid and access to the motorway network for turbine deliveries. We believe our proposal for The Isles Wind Farm represents both a responsible use of a valuable resource and a good site for turbines to be located. Why did we withdraw the A1 wind farm planning application? Since we submitted our original planning application for the A1 Wind Farm in May 2009, the UK s targets for producing renewable energy have increased. Further technical and environmental studies and the size of the land associated with The Isles Wind Farm, have shown that there s potential for a site with a much larger energy capacity, taking into account the local environment, technical and social constraints. We ve re-evaluated our proposal to show how we could make the best use of this larger site to produce much more low carbon electricity than the A1 Wind Farm site could have done.

4 For these reasons, we ve withdrawn our application for the A1 Wind Farm whilst we focus on developing our plans for the proposed Isles Wind Farm. County Durham has already reached its renewable targets - why are you proposing additional wind farms? Over the next 20 years, many of the older coal-fired and nuclear power stations in the UK will close, resulting in a potential energy gap in the UK. We need to act now to replace these power stations with cleaner, more cost-effective technologies such as wind power. This will help reduce the threat to our climate which is caused by rising greenhouse gas emissions. The Government is placing more emphasis on the need for renewable energy in the UK, and has set a target of 15% of our energy to come from renewable sources by Wind energy will play a key role in helping us meet this challenge but there are only certain areas in the country that have the right conditions for developing a wind farm. These conditions can all be found at the proposed Isles Wind Farm site. Among other things, the site has good wind speeds, connections to the national grid and access to the motorway network for turbine deliveries. We believe our proposal for The Isles Wind Farm represents both a responsible use of a valuable resource and a good site for turbines to be located. In addition, this project is defined as a National Significant Infrastructure Project and will contribute to national renewable energy targets. Technical How does a wind turbine generate electricity? Wind turbines consist of rotor blades which rotate around a horizontal hub. The hub is connected to a gearbox and generator, which are located inside the nacelle. The nacelle is the large part at the top of the tower where all the electrical components are located. The three blades of the turbine face into the wind, which turns the blades. The hub, in turn, spins the shaft which connects to the generator via a gearbox. The generator then produces electrical energy from the mechanical energy. How strong does the wind have to blow for the turbines to work? Wind turbines start operating at wind speeds of 4 to 5 metres per second (around 10 miles an hour) and reach maximum power output at around 10 to 15 metres per second (around 22 to 33 miles per hour). At very high wind speeds, i.e. gale force winds (25 metres per second or around 50+ miles per hour) wind turbines shut down to protect their internal machinery from excessive wear and tear. When the wind speed drops back down to normal operating conditions, the turbines resume generation.

5 What happens when the wind doesn't blow? When the wind stops blowing, electricity continues to be provided by other forms of existing generation, such as gas, coal and nuclear power stations. Our electricity system is mostly made up of large power stations, and the system is already able to cope if the largest of these plants had to shut down immediately. According to National Grid, "there is no immediate technical reason why a large portfolio of wind generation cannot be managed in balancing timescales" A44289DCB/41455/NETSSYS2010ExecutiveSummary.pdf How much fossil fuel capacity is needed to back up wind farms? National Grid has forecasted that a fourfold increase in the amount of wind on the system, totalling about 24.6GW by 2020 will only require an operating reserve of around 7.1GW, up from about 4.8GW used as back up today. In addition to flexible generation, the system can be balanced by a variety of other tools including greater interconnection between energy markets and demand side management such as smart metering. BBAA7AD8B89D/47178/Operatingin2020_finalversion0806_final.pdf Are wind turbines inefficient? No. A modern wind turbine produces electricity around 80% of the time throughout the year, but will generate varying levels of output depending on the wind speed. Over the course of a year, a wind farm will generate about 25% of the theoretical maximum output, depending on the location of the site. How much electricity could The Isles Wind Farm generate? The site can accommodate up to 45 turbines, equivalent to 115MW of installed capacity. This could generate enough clean electricity for up to 53,000 homes* for a year. *Based on an average annual domestic household electricity consumption of 4,700kWh (Source DECC) How much space is needed for a wind turbine? Wind turbines at The Isles Wind Farm will take up a relatively small area and the land surrounding it can still be used for productive farming.

6 How fast do the blades turn? The blades rotate at anything between revolutions per minute at constant speed. Why don't wind turbines have lots of blades? People often wonder why there aren't more blades on wind turbines. The optimum number of blades for a wind turbine depends on the job the turbine has to do. Turbines for generating electricity need to operate at high speeds, but do not need much torque or turning force. Therefore, machines typically have three blades. Economics Is wind energy expensive? On shore wind energy is one of the least expensive forms of renewable energy, in terms of price-perunit of electricity produced. How long does it take to pay back the energy used to build a wind farm? Modern wind turbines pay back the energy used in manufacture within 2-10 months depending on certain factors including the wind speed of the site and the type of turbine used. Wind turbines generate electricity without generating carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) or any other greenhouse gases, the fuel is cost free, and it will never run out. Most turbines have a life expectancy of years, so they will generate at least 20 times the energy used to manufacture and install them. Do wind farms receive subsidies? The planning and construction of UK wind farms is financed entirely by private capital. When the wind farm is fully operational and starts delivering electricity to the National Grid, only then does it qualify for Renewable Obligation Certificates (ROC s). One ROC is granted for each megawatt hour (MWh) of electricity it produces. The value of a ROC is determined by the market and provides an incentive to support low-carbon, renewable energy technologies in the absence of a robust carbon price to reflect the social cost of emitting carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. What is the Renewables Obligation? The Renewable Obligation (RO) is the main support scheme for renewable electricity projects in the UK. It places an obligation on UK suppliers of electricity to source an increasing proportion of their electricity from renewable sources.

7 A Renewable Obligation Certificate (ROC) is a green certificate issued to an accredited generator for each unit of renewable electricity generated within the UK and supplied to customers within the UK by a licensed electricity supplier. One ROC is issued for each megawatt hour (MWh) of eligible renewable electricity generated. Suppliers meet their obligations by presenting sufficient ROCs at the end of each year. Where suppliers do not have sufficient ROCs to meet their obligations, they must pay an equivalent amount into a fund, the proceeds of which are paid back on a pro-rated basis to those suppliers that have presented ROCs. The Government intends that suppliers will be subject to a renewables obligation until 31 March Local impacts Are wind turbines safe? Wind energy is one of the safest forms of electricity generation. No member of the public has been harmed by the normal operation of wind turbines in over 25 years. How close will the turbines be to houses? One of the most important considerations for us is people s homes. We place turbines sensitively within the local landscape. For the proposed development, they are at least 750m away from all properties, unless they are going to be financially involved. This buffer distance is based on our experience with noise guidelines. A background noise survey for The Isles has not yet been undertaken. However, regardless of the outcome of this assessment, we commit to maintaining the separation zone of 750m. Are wind turbines noisy? Modern wind farms are quiet in operation. In fact, it is possible to have a conversation standing underneath a wind turbine without having to raise your voice. Noise impact surveys will be prepared for the scheme as part of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and we adhere to industry best practice of mitigating the potential impact of noise through the good design of a wind farm. What is shadow flicker? Shadow flicker is the effect caused when an operating turbine is located between the sun and a receptor such as a house. The occurrence and duration of shadow flicker is dependent upon wind speed, wind direction and cloud cover.

8 Modern wind turbines can be controlled so that the operation of individual turbines at periods when shadow flicker has the potential to occur can be inhibited. The maximum frequency of the shadow flicker from wind farms is less than 1 hertz, which is well below the frequency known to affect sufferers of epilepsy. Shadow flicker studies will be prepared for The Isles Wind Farm. Are there any health implications associated with living near wind turbines? It has been repeatedly shown by measurements of wind turbine noise undertaken in the UK, Denmark, Germany and the USA over the past decade, and accepted by experienced noise professionals, that the levels of infrasonic noise and vibration radiated from modern wind turbines are at a very low level. There is no evidence that ground transmitted low frequency noise from wind turbines occurs at a sufficient level to be harmful to human health. Do wind turbines frighten horses and livestock? Wind farms are popular with farmers because their land can continue to be used for growing crops or grazing livestock. Sheep, cows and horses are not disturbed by wind turbines and have been known to graze right up to the bases of the turbines. Are birds and other wildlife affected by turbines? During the early development stage of a wind farm, studies are conducted on ornithology, flora and fauna to assess any potential risks. Following these assessments, we carefully design the layout of a wind farm to mitigate the risk of impacts on birds, bats and other wildlife. How will this wind farm affect the value of my house? Recent UK studies show no causal link between the proximity of wind farms and property prices and, in recent years, estate agents and surveyors have begun to accept that data on house purchases clearly show there are no long-term lowering of house prices caused by wind turbines. Click on the full report from the Centre for Sustainable Energy: Common concerns about wind power published May 2011: How do wind farms affect tourism? A Scottish Government commissioned report in 2008 showed that wind farm developments have minimal impact on tourism. Of the visitors surveyed in the study 93-99% said wind farms would have no impact on their decision to return to Scotland. 68% said they felt positive that a well sited wind farm does not ruin the

9 landscape with a further 12% neutral about this statement. The full report can be found online at Wind farms are also attracting visitors in their own right: the UK s first commercial wind farm at Delabole, Cornwall received 350,000 visitors in its first ten years of operation, while 10,000 visitors a year take the turbine tour at the EcoTech Centre in Swaffham, Norfolk. In a visitor survey undertaken on behalf of the Wales Tourist Board, 68% of respondents said that if the number of wind farms increased in Wales it would have no difference on the likelihood that they would take holidays in the Welsh countryside. A further 9% said any impact would be negligible and only 2% said they would be less likely to come back. The full report can be found online at Benefits What is in it for me? We will be creating a community benefits fund worth up to 460,000 a year, which will be used to support community projects throughout the wind farm s lifetime. In addition The Isles Wind Farm has the potential to bring increased demand for local goods and services during the development and construction phases of the project. If planning permission is granted and the project is given the green light to be built we always look to use local expertise and resources to carry out work associated with constructing the wind farm. Examples include: concrete for foundations stone for foundations and access tracks electrical skills haulage of turbine components handling cranes lorries safety consultants project management consultants fencing landscaping security accommodation Consultation Process What is the new planning process? The Infrastructure Planning Commission (IPC) is the independent body that examines applications for Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIP), under the Planning Act These are the large projects that support the economy and vital public services and, besides large wind farms, include railways, power stations, reservoirs, harbours, airports and sewage treatment works in other words, the kinds of large scale facilities that support the everyday life of the country. A

10 Development Consent Order (DCO) is required from the IPC for the construction and operation of a NSIP. More information on the IPC can be found online at Why is this project going through the IPC? Because this project would have an electrical output greater than 50MW, it is considered to be a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project and therefore goes through the IPC. What is the consultation process? The timeline below shows some of the formal aspects of the consultation process that we ll carry out, indicating some of the key points where consultations will take place. We ll consider the information we receive from local communities to help shape our proposals. We are currently at the first stage of consultation, where your comments will help us determine a design layout that we ll take forward for further studies. What is a SOCC?

11 The Statement of Community Consultation (SOCC) is produced by E.ON Climate & Renewables to determine the way we intend to consult with the local community prior to making a submission for a Development Consent Order to the IPC. As part of this process we have consulted with Durham County Council, who helped us devise a consultation programme that is sensitive to the make-up of the communities likely to be affected. The SOCC was published in the Northern Echo and is available online. We then carry out the consultation with the local community as set out in the SOCC. Further information can be found online here: Guidance on pre-application consultation When will we submit the application to the Infrastructure Planning Commission (IPC)? Following our consultations, we plan to submit The Isles Wind Farm application to the IPC in winter 2012.