Site Feasibility

Onshore wind turbine projects can be challenging and expensive to plan, and every planning application carries some degree of risk more than others. When thinking about a project using wind turbines, it’s crucial to comprehend the scope and makeup of these dangers as well as the expenses, financial gains, and environmental advantages. Once these are fully comprehended, a decision on whether to move through with a planning application and incur the associated expenditures can be made with objectivity.

A wind feasibility study’s objectives are to:

• Determine the turbine’s ideal size and location for the given site.
• Initial evaluation of the local wind resource.
• technical evaluation of the planning and physical limitations.
• Technological difficulties that could compromise the project’s feasibility.
• Analysing the project’s costs, payments, and return on investment in the beginning.

The evaluation is organized generally as follows.

Map of Physical Constraints

In order to determine whether there is enough developable space on your property for a wind turbine installation, which scale of turbine (initial candidate turbine) may be appropriate, and the best location at this stage of development, the first part of the feasibility study looks at the physical constraints. This is a crucial initial step in conducting a wind feasibility assessment.

Physical restrictions are assessed at site, that would impede the installation of a wind turbine on your property. The following restrictions are taken into account on the wind turbine physical constraints map:

.Footpaths .Roads .hedges and wooded areas (trees) &.buildings, both residential and non-residential.buffers for residential amenities, noise filters,.electricity lines. Watercourses Other landscape elements that will affect the location of the turbine, kind of soil if it is ground mounted

Once finished, a distinct “developable area” or a number of potential locations where wind turbines could be erected from the perspective of physical limits should be apparent (if there is one).

Map of Planning Constraints

Based on the most likely turbine locations identified in the Physical Constraints Map, the Planning Constraints Map expands upon the Physical Constraints Map by using GIS software to draw known sensitivities on or around the site up to varied distances according to the sensitivity. Depending on the outcomes of the analysis, the turbine position might change throughout the operation. Among these sensitivity are:

• Aviation (MOD, weather radar, low flying areas, and physical safety)
• Transmissions (through microwave connections)
• Greenbelts, AONBs, and other landscape features
• Environmental (all categories, but especially birds and bats)
• Cultural heritage includes things like historic sites, national trust properties, and listed buildings.

Grid Capability

One of the biggest risks to any wind project is getting approval to connect your wind turbine to the electrical grid. Utilising the tools and data we have from the Distributed Network Operator, we now assess grid capacity restrictions in your neighbourhood. In order to get preliminary feedback on grid capacity difficulties that could affect your project, we also get in touch with the Distributed Network Operator. It should be noted that the only surefire way to ascertain capacity is to submit a formal grid application in order to obtain a grid connection agreement; however, that is typically inappropriate at this early stage due to the cost incurred with the application; nonetheless, it would be prudent to apply for a grid connection agreement concurrently.

Production of Energy and Financial Modelling

Using our databases, we estimate the annual energy production from the wind turbine(s) using the wind resource and turbine type, scale, and position identified at the earlier stages. If you need modeled energy optimisation, please get in touch with us. For numerous wind turbine sites, we can do additional full energy optimisation modeling to position the wind turbines to maximum energy yield and decrease interference from turbulence losses.

Then, in order to determine the annual income that the turbine(s) will generate, we can choose an appropriate and realistic electricity export rate (or take into account on-site energy use). After operating expenses, we also factor in maintenance, insurance, and business rates to give you a realistic income estimate.

Additionally, we will offer a budget cost estimate for the entire project, which will cover all remaining stages of feasibility, obtaining planning approval, and designing and installing the system.