West Coast Energy - Nigg Wind Energy

Nigg Wind Energy

A wind farm at Nigg is being proposed by Falck Renewables Ltd, a leading European Wind Energy Company with operations in Spain, France and Italy as well as the UK.  Falck Renewables has been one of the most successful developers of wind projects in the Highlands in the last few years with a 7 turbine wind farm at Boyndie in Banffshire (14 MegaWatt- MW), and three further wind farms under construction at Kilbraur near Golspie (19 turbines/47.5MW), Millennium near Invermoriston (16 turbines/40MW) and Ben Aketil on Skye (10turbines/23MW).  The company has offices in Inverness and London.  In total, Falck Renewables has some 300MW of wind projects in development across the UK.

The proposal at Nigg is for a 10 MegaWatt wind farm consisting of five
turbines (125 metres to the tip, 80 metres to the hub) which will
connect to the National Grid line which supplies the Nigg Fabrication
yard, via an underground cable.

Latest News

A planning application was submitted to The Highland Council on 24 January 2008. Copies of the Planning Application (Vol1), Environmental Statement text (Vol2), Technical Appendices (Vol 4) and Non Technical Summary (NTS) can be downloaded from the Downloads & Links section of this website.  Unfortunately the Figures Volume of the ES which contains the photomontages and other visual information is simply too large to download.  This is however available in CD format from Atmos Consulting Ltd, 24 Longman Drive, Inverness, IV1 1SU.   Copies of the full Environmental Statement can be viewed at: Nigg Community Hall, Seaboard Memorial Hall in Balintore, Cromarty Library, Planning Department on Achany Road Dingwall and The Highland Council on Glenurquhart Road Inverness.

The Proposal

Nigg was selected as a potentially suitable site for a wind energy development for a number of key reasons:
  • Strong wind resource
  • No national natural heritage designations on the site
  • Existing grid line with capacity runs very close to site
  • Sufficient set back from properties
  • Feasible transport access

Site design process

From an original concept for a much larger wind farm comprising 15 turbines, the project has been subject to considerable design input to minimise the environmental impact whilst maximising the environmental benefits. The following important constraints have now been taken into account in the design process:
  • Landscape and visual impact
  • Cultural Heritage
  • Goose flightlines and other Ornithological and ecological interests
  • Watercourses and Water supply
The views expressed by The Highland Council and other consultees including Scottish Natural Heritage, the RSPB and Historic Scotland are also being taken into account through the formal scoping process.

Community Benefits

  • The project will provide local benefits, including:
  • Local employment and contracts where possible during construction and on-going maintenance.
  • Contributions to local charitable trusts
    • If the wind farm is granted planning permission, a charitable trust would be established to administer the money which the wind farm developer would donate to the local community every year when the wind farm is operational. The amount donated will relate to the capacity of the wind farm and will be in the region of £2000 per megawatt of installed capacity per annum.
    • The trust would be administered locally. The money would be available for local social and environmental improvements and the trust would decide how the money is spent.
  • The opportunity to “buy into” the windfarm through the creation of a local co-operative. If successful, Falck Renewables anticipate following the model at Boyndie Wind Farm near Portsoy where the local community have formed a co-operative which owns a share in the wind farm.

Decommissioning

Before construction begins, arrangements will be made with The Highland Council for decommissioning and reinstatement works.

After construction, the wind farm would be operated for up to 25 years. At the end of this time, the wind farm will be decommissioned and the land returned to its previous state. Wind farms are a truly reversible form of energy development!

Programme
PUBLIC CONSULTATION SEPTEMBER 2007
COMPLETION OF EIA STUDIES AND PREPARATION OF PLANNING APPLICATION NOVEMBER 2007
PLANNING APPLICATION SUBMITTED JANUARY 2008
PLANNING COMMITTEE DECISION MAY 2008*
*This date could vary and is for the Council to choose.
Should planning permission be granted:  
INITIAL SITE WORK 2008
CONSTRUCTION WORK 2009
OPERATIONAL WIND FARM 2009
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