News / Go for a gigawatt, consultant says
SHETLAND’S 22,000 residents could become enormously wealthy if the islands’ make the most of their much-touted “world class wind resource”, according to a Dutch consultancy bureau.
Wim Hegeman, of Hegeman Water Expertise, is suggesting that Shetland could easily supply 1,000 megawatts of green energy into the proposed pan-European “supergrid” to help power industrial centres on the continent.
The idea is linked to the project (www.forewind.co.uk) to build up to 9 gigawatts of wind energy capacity in the Dogger Bank, a shallow area in the North Sea off Yorkshire.
Mr Hegeman said that Shetland and the north of Scotland have more to gain than most from linking into the supergrid, because they are among the few places where wind energy can turn a profit when the subsidies run out.
At present every kilowatt of energy produced by wind is heavily subsidised in an attempt to ramp up renewables and cut carbon emissions in the UK.
However as more offshore wind farms come on stream, subsidy payments will slide and many onshore wind farms could become unviable.
In contrast, Mr Hegeman suggests, Shetland will profit from wind power for decades because the islands are so windy they can generate power without subsidies. “Shetland will become an example of unsubsidised wind energy,” he insisted.
He claimed (www.doggerbank.nl) that to make full use of a 700 megawatt High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) cable linking Shetland to a transformer station in Peterhead and the supergrid, the islands would need to generate 1 gigawatt of wind power.
He added that if Viking Energy used larger turbines they could generate 1,000 megawatts using the same number they are currently planning to install.
“I am aware of the Viking Energy 457 MW wind farm. When using turbines of 7.5 MW maximum power (Enercon 126) you need almost the same amount of turbines (133) as Viking Energy is planning in order to get 1,000 megawatts.”
He said that HVDC cables are highly profitable and quoted the example the 600 kilometre long NorNed-line between Norway and the Netherlands, the longest submarine power cable in the world, which is expected to pay for itself in just four years.
Speaking to The Shetland News, Mr Hegeman said: “A 1,000 MW wind farm can bring the people of Shetland enormous wealth. This can be achieved by higher megawatt wind turbines and a few alterations in the wind farm site.
“It is expected that the capacity factor is even higher than the Burradale wind farm because of higher nacelle (where the turbine is sited on the mast) and more modern and efficient turbines.
“There is nothing wrong about using the clean natural resource that nature brings to Shetland. I expect that protests will be minimised after a few years of operation of the wind farm
“All people of Shetland should benefit from the wind farm and not only the investors. More wind farms will probably be developed if the economic profits evolve. Electricity at a low price will find its way. Shetland has a bright future for wind power.”
He warned that the industry was moving very fast at the moment and that a full European network grid could be developed within 10 years. “Tomorrow the present reality will be the past,” he said.
Viking Energy project co-ordinator, councillor Allan Wishart, said he had never heard of Mr Hegeman and had no comment to make.
Head of the council’s economic development unit, Neil Grant, did not respond to a request for comment, but Kevin Learmonth of anti Viking Energy campaigners Sustainable Shetland said the consultant was touting the “economics of the madhouse”.
“One large scale wind farm in Shetland will undoubtedly lead to another. If the ‘greater good’ argument is used, there is no reason that Shetland shouldn’t be covered in wind farms.
“For the cost of the cable alone you could draft proof and insulate one million homes. That gives real cash savings to householders, reduces energy consumption, provides employment and improves the quality of life for some of our poorest citizens,” he said.
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