Farr Wind Farm is npower renewables flagship onshore wind farm, and the company's most powerful renewable energy scheme across the UK.
The site is located some 10 miles south of Inverness, off the A9, and comprises 40 wind turbines with a total installed capacity of up to 92 megawatts (MW).
Every year the wind farm will generate enough clean electricity to meet the average annual needs of some 54,000 homes - enough to supply more than half of all the homes across the Highlands of Scotland (see note 1).
Farr Wind Farm
The Development Process
The location was initially selected as a potential wind farm site back in 1996 because a number of attributes allowed npower renewables to design a scheme with minimal environmental effects and high energy output, these were as follows:
- High wind speeds ensuring high productivity and electrical output
- The site is outside International, National and Highland Council designations for landscape and ecology
- There are no dwellings located close to the site
- It is close to the electricity grid
- Has good road access via the nearby A9 which is particularly useful during construction when large loads need transporting onto the site
npower renewables commissioned a number of independent consultants to carry out an environmental impact assessment of the wind farm proposal. The results of these studies were detailed in a document called an "Environmental Statement" that accompanied the planning application for the proposal. This involved looking at a wide range of aspects from birds and archaeology to landscape and visual effects. It was concluded that the site did not pose any major negative environmental impact.
Into construction and beyond
The scheme was in development for 7 years and on February 28th 2003 the Highland Council approved the Farr Wind Farm application. The decisions as to whether the project got the go ahead then rested with the Scottish Executive. To the delight of npower renewables, on 5th October 2004 full planning consent was granted and the Farr Wind Farm got the go-ahead.
Construction works began shortly after in October 2004 with work being carried out to build the 8 mile access tracks to the site which went through forestry land.
Work on the wind farm site itself began in April 2005 with the first turbine being erected on 20th September 2005. The 40th and final turbine was erected on 13th March 2006.
The site was completed by Siemens Wind Power A/S under an Engineer Procure and Construct Contract and was officially handed over to npower renewables in June 2006.
Notes/References
According to the 2001 Scottish Census data there are 89,533 households across the Highlands. See www.scrol.gov.uk .
Farr Wind Farm
