Camilty Wind Farm - Partnerships for Renewables

Camilty Wind Farm
• Conservation of finite resources - Renewable sources of energy are those that are not
based on finite reserves stored within the earth. Using wind to generate electricity is
non-consumptive.
• Reduction in pollutant emissions - Using wind to generate electricity produces no
operational derived gases or other by-products and therefore does not contribute
directly to local air pollution. In contrast, burning fossil fuels produces pollutants
including oxides of nitrogen (NO X ) and sulphur dioxide (SO 2 ).
• Reduction in greenhouse gas emission/energy use over the lifetime of the facility -
The comparison of the energy used during the manufacture and construction of a
power station or wind farm with the energy generated during its operation is known as
its energy balance. The energy balance can be expressed in terms of energy “payback”
time or carbon pay-back time, which is the time needed to generate the
equivalent amount of energy/carbon used in manufacturing and constructing the
facility. It is generally accepted that carrying out such a calculation indicates that wind
power has a much shorter pay-back time than other non-renewable generators,
typically taking only a few months of operation for a wind turbine to pay for itself in
energy terms (Welsh Assembly Government, 2003). It has been estimated that the
energy invested in manufacturing a wind turbine is typically paid off within less than a
year of operation, though this will vary according to the nature of the site (Vestas Wind
Systems, 2005). Scottish Government published a Technical Note: Calculating
Potential Carbon Losses & Savings from Wind farms on Scottish Peatlands in 2011
for calculating carbon ‘payback’ times for wind farms on Scottish peatlands (Scottish
Government, 2011a), following up on Nayak, Smith et al (2011) updated carbon
calculator for wind farms on peat and forestry. This considers the effects of wind
farms during construction and operation on soil stability and long-term greenhouse
gas emissions. The estimated carbon payback time for the proposed wind farm is
presented below in Section 6.5 of this chapter.
• Production of a more secure and long-term energy supply (DEFRA, 2011) - wind
power creates an effectively infinite source of power by harnessing energy generated
from natural resources. Therefore the development of a diverse range of electricity
generating technologies contributes to reducing the risks related to the supply and
cost of electricity.
• Use of a freely available resource - Improvements in technology and rises in fossil fuel
costs have resulted in the cost of wind power falling close to those of conventional
sources of electricity. Wind is therefore both the most abundant and one of the
cheapest of the UK's renewable energy resources (Sustainable Development
Commission, 2005). As the UK is one of the windiest countries in Europe (BWEA,
2005), it is well placed for the harnessing of wind energy. Scotland in particular has a
significant wind resource, according to a report on the regional renewable energy
assessments commissioned by the Department of Trade and Industry (OXERA,
2002).
• Source of jobs - Given the recent investment into renewable energy and wind power,
particularly in Scotland, the emerging sector is recognised as a growing source of jobs
in the medium to long term.
March 2013 6-2 ES Chapter 6
Climate Change and Atmospheric Emissions
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