Quick Facts
| Status: | Appeal |
|---|---|
| Project Capacity: | 13.6MW |
| No. Turbines: | 16 |
| Hub Height: | 55m |
| Blade Length: | 26m |
| Homes Powered: | 8750 |
| Annual CO2 savings: | 20000 tonnes |
Location
The Kilchattan Wind Farm is located on the south of Campbeltown on Isle of Argyll, 3km north of Southend.
Site Description
The Kilchattan Wind Farm was developed as a joint venture project between Wind Prospect and RidgeWind. The site will be comprised of 16 turbines. The anticipated turbine has a capacity of 0.85MW with a blade length of 26m and an approximate hub height of 55m. The maximum height to the blade tip will be 81m. The project also includes all the ancillary equipment and features such as access tracks, anemometer mast, underground cables, substation and control building. The electricity from the Kilchattan Wind Farm is due to feed into the local distribution network operated by Scottish and Southern Energy.
A site layout can be seen by clicking here.
The site was originally submitted to Argyll & Bute council in 2007, with additional information supplied in 2010. A hearing will take place in December 2011 to assess the site and a decision will be published sometime after this.
If approved the project would be constructed and would take a period expected to be less than 9 months to complete and begin operation. After the construction, the land surrounding the turbines returns to normal agricultural use and will remain in this state for the lifetime of the wind farm, expected to be 25 years. The site will not be permanently staffed but is monitored remotely and visited regularly by technicians for scheduled maintenance and repairs. After 25 years the turbines and associated infrastructure are removed and the land is returned to the pre-wind farm condition.
Benefits
During construction a large amount of money will be fed into the local economy. Millions of pounds are to be spent during the development and construction of the Kilchattan wind farm with local contractors benefiting significantly. The anticipated turbines would be a model constructed with towers which can be made at the wind turbine plant in Machrahanish.
A community trust fund will be set up which will receive a portion of the revenue generated by the wind farm. The amount offered is based on the yearly output and will continue over the 25 year life time of the project.
RidgeWind offer educational visits to local schools to hold presentations and workshops; we also offer trips to our wind farms on a regular basis.
The Kilchattan wind farm at 13.6MW has the ability to meet the energy demands of at least 8700 homes. With a nominal capacity factor of 30%, the wind farm will generate over 36GWh of green electricity every year, which is 36 million units of electricity (kWh). This green electricity generated displaces other generated electricity including fossil fuels and will therefore prevent the release of at least 20,000 tonnes of CO2 every year as well as thousands of tonnes of other harmful greenhouses gases such as Nitrogen Oxides and Sulphur Dioxide (NOx and SO2).
The Kilchattan wind farm will also provide financial benefits to the local community.
Contact
If you want to get in touch to discuss anything regarding the Kilchattan Wind Farm, please look at our contact page or send us an email to info@ridgewind.com
*The images have been adapted from the Visuals produced for an Environmental Statement. They are used in this context for illustrative purposes only and are not visible with correct field of view and viewing distances.