The study by the EWG, the membership of which includes RenewableUK, confirms that there could be scope to allow further wind farm consents near the Eskdalemuir Seismic Array in Dumfries, operated by the Ministry of Defence (MoD). EWG, includes representatives from Governments and industry, commissioned a study on the safeguarding approach being used by the MoD at the site which monitors compliance on the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty.
A more accurate way of calculating any vibrations from wind turbines in areas near the seismological monitoring station has been devised, and new data has been validated by the MoD. This would allow the MoD to withdraw objections to some of the wind energy projects proposed within 50 kilometres of the array, with a 15 kilometre exclusion zone set to be approved by the Scottish Government, following consultation. The potential generation capacity could be enough to power more than half a million British homes.
"The Scottish Government-led Eskdalemuir Working Group is a fantastic example of industry, Government and the MoD working in partnership to resolve a major issue for the deployment of renewables” said Scottish Energy Minister Fergus Ewing. “With potentially 1 gigawatt of renewable energy now freed to progress through planning, I’m delighted that Scotland can now benefit from further significant economic rewards from harnessing our natural resources, including the hundreds of jobs created and the knock-on benefits to local companies and communities. I’m also delighted to see a Scottish SME, Xi Engineering Consultants Ltd, having been successfully appointed, then go on to undertake such ground-breaking scientific work in cooperation with the MoD’s own experts.”
RenewableUK’s Chief Executive, Maria McCaffery, added that the new research provides a springboard for the UK’s wind energy industry to take another step forward. It creates fresh opportunities to install new projects in a part of the country that enjoys excellent wind resources, without the prospect of automatic objections from the MoD.
Alongside RenewableUK, the EWG includes representatives from the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC), the MoD, Scottish Renewables and a number of wind energy developer members who are shareholders in the Aviation Investment Fund Company Ltd (AIFCL) which has provided financial and technical support for the research work. EWG is led by the Scottish Government
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