Energy / More details released about proposed Sullom Voe Terminal wind turbines
Planning documents say the maximum turbine height would be 150 metres
MORE details have been released about two wind turbines which are being proposed at Sullom Voe Terminal (SVT).
An agent on behalf of terminal operator EnQuest said the maximum height of each turbine is likely to be 150 metres, with a total output of 4.8MW.
EnQuest previously said it was considering up to seven turbines at the site as it looks to decarbonise its operations while moving activity at the terminal towards new energy such as hydrogen production.
Currently SVT is fuelled by its own 100MW, gas-fired power station but this stands to go out of service once the terminal is connected to the grid in the coming years.
The power station is listed as the highest CO2 emitter in Shetland when it comes to energy facilities, producing nearly 167,000 tonnes in 2022.
EnQuest’s new energy subsidiary Veri said it is evaluating the potential for “scalable” onshore wind project at SVT.
It said a modular design could allow it to install up to 30MW to 40MW worth of wind turbines.
Any planned wind turbines on the site will not be connected to the grid but will cater for the terminal’s own power requirements.
The new planning submission relates to an environmental impact assessment screening request for two turbines.
It said the exact turbine model is still to be confirmed, “but it is anticipated that these would be comparable to a Nordex N133”.
For the purpose of the screening request the Nordex N133 is used as a representative turbine – with each having a nominal output of 4.8MW and a maximum tip height of 150 metres.
The document said this is the “maximum required in terms of output and height, with any variation from this likely to be smaller in both respects, and hence have a lesser environmental impact”.
By comparison the Viking Energy turbines in Shetland’s Central Mainland, which switched on earlier this year, are 155 metres in height.
The turbines would likely be placed on reinforced concrete foundations measuring 22 square metres.
It is anticipated that a new 11kV substation would also be installed at SVT.
The planning document said the exact location of the turbines is still to be confirmed, but the area they would be located in spans just over 33 hectares – 24 hectares of which is currently within the existing SVT boundary.
However the footprint of the proposed turbines would be less than 0.1 hectares.
It is said that the site in question is “poor quality grassland”.
The planning document said the proposed turbines’ location means there would be “very limited public views, if any”.
It added that the only potential view from a public road would be at the “very end of the B9076, where this terminates at the terminal”.
The report continued: “The largest consented wind farm on Shetland is the Viking wind farm, but this is located a significant distance further to the south and, combined with the location of the proposed turbines as set out above, this means that any sequential views are not expected to give rise to any cumulative impacts of any significance either.
“At the same time, consideration has been given to the potential for there to be any cumulative impacts arising from the combination of the proposed turbines and other existing development in the area, namely existing development within SVT and at the SGP [Shetland Gas Plant] site.
“However, the nature and scale of that existing development is such that the addition of the proposed turbines is not considered likely to give rise to any impacts over and above those associated with this, and so no cumulative impacts are expected in this case.”
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