Rowantree Wind Farm

In December 2009 RWE npower renewables submitted a planning application to Scottish Ministers for a wind farm near Oxton in the Scottish Borders.
The proposed Rowantree Wind Farm is in a Scottish Borders Council preferred area of search for wind energy developments.  The site will allow for minimal environmental effects but still provide high energy output. 
Following consultation the design of the site has been reduced from 30 to 23 turbines with a  maximum height to blade tip of 125 metres.  The site would therefore have a maximum total capacity of approximately 69 megawatts (MW), producing enough green electricity to meet the average annual electricity demand of up to 38,500 homes1.  This figure takes into account the times when the wind farm will not be generating such as periods of low or no wind speeds. 
Under Section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989, any proposal to construct, extend or operate an onshore wind farm with a generation capacity in excess of 50 MW requires the consent of Scottish Ministers.
The site benefits from:

  • Good wind speeds
  • Good access to the electricity grid
  • It is in a preferred area for wind energy development
  • The turbines would coexist with current agricultural practices, providing farm diversification benefits
  • Good road access via a dedicated site entrance on the A7


 
To download the non technical summary for the Rowantree proposal please click on the right hand link.
 
Footnote
1

It is estimated that the Rowantree Wind Farm will have a site capacity of 69 MW with a capacity factor of between 23% and 29%.  This could be enough electricity to supply the average annual needs of around 38,500 average UK homes.  The energy capture predicted and hence homes derviced equivalent may change as further data are gathered.  Equivalent homes supplied is based on an annual electricity consumption per home of 4,700kWh.  This figure is supported by recent domestic electricity consumption data available from The Digest of UK Energy Statistics and household estimates and projections from the UK Statistics Authority.