Proposed Arecleoch Windfarm

About ScottishPower

ScottishPower is an international company providing energy for homes and businesses in the UK and US. In the UK we have more than 5 million gas and electricity customers.

At ScottishPower, we are committed to reducing the impact of electricity generation on the global environment. We are doing this by developing renewable energy projects (mainly onshore and offshore windfarms), investing in efficient CCGT (Combined Cycle Gas Turbine) power stations, trialling environmentally friendly biomass fuels and promoting energy efficiency. We are also working to advance the next generation of energy technologies such as wave and tidal power.

ScottishPower is the leading UK windfarm developer and is committed to responsible windfarm development and open consultation with communities.

About the Proposed Windfarm

The proposed Arecleoch windfarm is located approximately 3-4km southwest of Barrhill, encompassing an area of Arecleoch and Kilgallioch Forest and adjacent moorland. Much of the site is commercial forestry plantation, and whilst some tree felling will be required to accommodate turbines, the remainder will continue to operate as a productive forest. Once a more detailed plan of the site has been developed we expect the site to be able to accommodate a maximum of 135 turbines. The key statistics for the windfarm are:

Number of turbines	Up to 135
Height of turbines to blade tip	Up to 135 metres
Height of turbines to hub	Up to 90 metres
Rotor diameter of turbines	Up to 90 metres
Maximum capacity of windfarm	400 MW
Carbon Dioxide savings	900,000 tonnes each year
Annual energy use equivalent to	220,000 households

A detailed design for the windfarm has not been produced yet, as we prefer to consult widely before deciding where best to place the turbines and access tracks. For example we may be advised by ornithologists to stay away from a particlar area because of its importance to protected birds, or to avoid an area on the advice of archaeologists. The first step is to map all of the potential issues and constraints and then to design a windfarm that fits in with the landscape.

Why Arecleoch?

This site was selected from around 70 candidates. Arecleoch was considered to be a good site for a windfarm for the following reasons:

• Good wind resource;
• Potentially large site giving significant benefits in terms of electricity generation and cutting climate change emissions;
• Lack of nature conservation or landscape designations;
• Close to the electricity grid;

Why Wind Energy?

Harnessing the power of the wind is not a new idea. Windmills have been used for hundreds of years to pump water and grind flour. Modern wind turbine technology is now technically advanced and commercially viable - with turbines designed to operate continuously in exposed environments for up to 25 years.

Scotland has an abundant wind resource, with strong prevailing winds blowing from the south west off the Atlantic Ocean. This means that generating electricity from the wind is productive, as well as being clean, safe and free from emissions such as carbon dioxide. A single typical turbine of 2 MW generates enough electricity to meet the energy needs of over 1,000 homes. Furthermore, existing land uses, such as farming and recreation, can continue on the land underneath windfarms with each turbine having a relatively small footprint..

What Happens Next?

The development of a windfarm follows several stages - with consultation including public exhibitions continuing throughout:

DEVELOPMENT STAGE	TIMESCALE
Site selection Includes wind monitoring, bird surveys and early discussions with consultees.	completed
Scoping (Where we are now) Widespread consultation on early proposals and approach to assessment.	2-3 months
Environmental Impact Assessment Includes consultation, baseline studies, assessment of effects, and proposals to mitigate any effects. Progresses in tandem with site design. Preparation of Environmental Statement Preparation of the formal report based in the EIA.	9-10 months
Submission of Application Formal application to build the windfarm sent to the Scottish Executive with the Environmental Statement.	1-2 months
Decision to Refuse or Grant Consent Consideration of the application by the Scottish Executive, local councils and other consultees, followed by decision to refuse or grant consent.	6-24 months
Construction Build the windfarm if consent given	24-30 months
TOTAL TIME TAKEN	42- 69 months (3 to 6 years)*

* It is important to note that these timescales can vary significantly for many reasons during the development - for reasons often outwith ScottishPower's control. The project team will seek to keep you informed as the project progresses and let you know of any changes.

Environmental Impact Assessment

During the main Environmental Impact Assessment phase of the work a number of issues will be investigated. These include:

• the visibility of the windfarm and its effects on the landscape
• ecology
• birds
• transport and traffic
• hydrology
• cultural heritage
• noise
• local communities and employment
• land use and ownership
• tourism and recreation
• aeronautics
• telecommunications and television
• air and climate

We expect the impact on most of these elements to be limited, with the main effects relating to landscape and visibility, birds, ecology and traffic. As the work progresses we will work to ensure that all potential impacts are minimised as much as possible.

Further Information

Please contact the Arecleoch project team:
John Alexander, Project Manager, direct tel: 0141 568 4422 email: john.alexander@scottishpower.com
Dr Fiona Becker, Development Officer, direct tel: 0141 568 3399 email fiona.becker@scottishpower.com

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