Benefits
British Waterways and Partnerships for Renewables believe that a wind energy development at Sharpness Docks will provide a number of benefits.
Environmental benefits
Having completed all of the necessary technical and environmental studies, we believe that the site would be a suitable location for a single wind turbine with a maximum tip height of 122m and a capacity of between 1.5 megawatts and 2.5 megawatts. A turbine of the type we are proposing would be expected to produce the equivalent amount of electricity as used by either 736 or 1,226 average households[1] (depending on whether a 1.5MW or 2.5MW machine is chosen).
[1] The environmental benefit figures are based on a single turbine (of either 1.5MW or 2.5MW), operating with a 25% capacity factor; average household electricity use of 4,463kWh per annum; and the electricity generated displacing electricity generated from CCGT / average fuel mix - approx. 430gCO2/kWh.
The Digest of UK Energy Statistics (November 2011) gives 2010 domestic electricity consumption as 118,681 gigawatt-hours (GWh) (Shown in table as 118.68TWh) (http://www.decc.gov.uk/assets/decc/statistics/source/electricity/dukes5_1_2.xls) which, when divided by the number of households in the UK – 26,591,600 (http://www.decc.gov.uk/assets/decc/statistics/publications/ecuk/269-ecuk-domestic-2010.xls (table 3.3) - gives an average electricity usage of 4,463 kWh per year per household in the UK (118,681,000 ÷ 26,591,600 = 4,463). Taking into account the candidate turbine for the site, it is expected that a single turbine with an installed capacity of 1.5–2.5 MW could generate between 3.285 and 5.475 GWh of renewable electricity per year (based on a capacity factor of 25% - for onshore wind the five year average capacity factor (2006 – 2010) is 26.16% (Table 7.4 http://www.decc.gov.uk/assets/decc/11/stats/publications/dukes/2309-dukes-2011-chapter-7-renewable-sources.pdf). These figures are derived as follows in the following example (using a 25% capacity factor): 1,500 kW (1 × 1.5 MW turbine) × 8,760 hours/year × 0.25 (capacity factor) = 3,285,000 kWh. Based on the 4,463 kWh household figure, and the predicted electricity generation of between 3.285 and 5.475 GWh, it is estimated that the yearly output from the wind turbine will be equivalent to the approximate domestic electricity needs of between 736 and 1,226 average households in Britain (e.g. 3,285,000 ÷ 4463 = 736).
Economic benefits
It is likely that the green electricity generated by any turbines will be fed into the National Grid to provide annual income for British Waterways.
Community benefits
A market-leading community benefit package will be provided alongside any future development. This will consist of a community fund, which will receive an annual payment. The fund will be administered by representatives of the local community, to be spent in any way that the community sees fit.