RWE npower renewables submitted a planning application to the Highland Council, on Thursday 26th March 2005 for the Stroupster Wind Farm, located near Wick, Caithness.

On the 8th June 2006 the Caithness Local Committee of the Highland Council refused the application.  It was refused partly on the grounds that it did not fit into the Highland Council’s Renewable Strategy preferred areas of search for wind farm development.

RWE npower renewables appealed the application’s refusal and a public inquiry was held in Wick between the 27 October 2009 and 2 November 2009.  The outcome of this inquiry process is awaited and further details can be obtained from the Directorate of Planning and Environmental Appeals (DPEA) website. 

The amended Stroupster application

RWE npower renewables remains convinced that this is a suitable and productive site for a wind farm.  Following consideration of Highland Council’s reason for refusal and further assessment, RWE npower renewables submitted an amended planning application to the Council in May 2007.  The amended Stroupster Wind Farm application is similar in size to the first application, although contains some minor amendments.  It comprises 12 wind turbines rated at around 2.5 megawatts each - giving a combined output in the region of 30 megawatts^FN. A wind farm of this size would generate enough electricity each year to supply the average needs of some 17,000 homes (averaged out across the year and taking into account times of low wind speed).  We await a decision on this application. 

The nearby Causeymire Wind Farm, Caithness

Footnote  
Energy predicted to be generated by the proposal as been calculated using an assumed capacity factor of 30% (DTI Energy Trends UK regional capacity factors 1998-2004) and is based on an installed capacity of 30MW.  The energy capture predicted and hence derived homes equivalent or emissions savings figures may change as site specific information is gathered.
Equivalent homes supplied is based on annual electricity consumption per home of 4700 kWh, which is derived from a total UK domestic electricity consumption of 117.589 terawatt-hours (TWh) and 25.2 million UK households giving 4,666 kWh per year per household. 
UK energy consumption is as stated for 2004 in The Digest of UK Energy Statistics 2005.  Number of UK households is as stated for 2003 in the Mid-year Household Estimates published in 2004 by the Office for National Statistics.