Prison Service Investigating Potential for Renewable Energy at former RAF base

Published: 10/12/2009

The National Offender Management Service (NOMS) and Partnerships for Renewables have announced that they are working together to investigate the possibility of siting a wind energy scheme at the former RAF base at Coltishall in Norfolk, on land adjacent to the newly-built Bure Prison.

At this stage, we are looking at the possible construction of one wind turbine on the Bure site with a generation capacity of between two and three megawatts (MW) and a maximum tip height of up to 130 metres. The electricity generated by any potential turbine, which would be capable of generating as much green energy as needed to meet the annual energy requirements of Bure Prison and an additional 900 households, would be fed into the National Grid.*

A NOMS spokesperson has said: “The Prison Service takes climate change and sustainable development very seriously. Sustainability, both in environmental and economic terms, is a key principle in the running and development of our estate. Hence when we gained planning permission for Bure Prison we agreed with the planning authority to actively investigate the development of renewable energy at the Bure site to ensure that it was a sustainable development.**

“If this project proves to be feasible and goes ahead, in addition to the prison service making a positive contribution towards the fight against climate change, it will also allow us to make better use of an under-utilised land resource. A portion of revenues generated by the scheme will also be available to fund local community projects.”

NOMS is currently undertaking a review of a range of potential uses for the remainder of the Bure site. This is expected to be completed during 2010.

Jerry Sturman, Regional Manager at Partnerships for Renewables, said: “In working together on the wind energy project, the National Offender Management Service and Partnerships for Renewables will ensure that the local community is consulted throughout the development process. We will hold public exhibitions at appropriate stages as the project progresses.

“We are in the very early stages of the project. The site still needs to undergo extensive technical and environmental assessment studies for us to establish its suitability for wind energy generation.

“The aim of this early announcement is to ensure involvement from the local community from the outset of our work. The first public exhibition – to introduce the proposal and the project team to local residents – will be held in February.

“It is likely that an application for a temporary wind monitoring mast will be submitted to North Norfolk District Council in the near future. The data collected by the mast will be used to build an accurate model of the wind resource on the site, to ensure that the most appropriate turbine model is chosen for maximising the green electricity-generating potential of the project.”

Notes

Note 1 – Section 106 agreement

The planning permission for the new prison development came with a planning condition (Section 106 agreement), which requires the prison service to actively undertake the investigation of the renewable energy potential of the Bure site.

Note 2 – Environmental benefit figures

The Bure site is currently being considered to host one commercial-scale wind turbine. The proposal could produce approximately 5.4GWh of green energy per annum, which is equivalent to the annual electricity needs of Bure Prison and an additional 900 households. The generating capacity of the proposal could lead to annual savings of approximately 2, 300 tonnes of CO2.

The environmental benefit figures are based on one 2.5 megawatt turbine, operating with a 25% capacity factor; average household electricity use of 4700kWh per annum; and the electricity generated displacing electricity generated from CCGT / average fuel mix - approx. 430gCO2/kWh.

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