Staged Feasibility Process
We've drawn on our experience to develop a staged approach to feasibility, which includes progressive levels of detail appropriate to the project stage. This is particularly beneficial to industrial sites, which often face the most numerous types of constraint.
We understand the issues that clients may encounter, and provide a four stage filtering process that enables resources to be focused on the best sites as unsuitable sites are indentified and rejected early in the process.
The process works as follows:
1. Desktop Feasibility Study
A desk-based review of a site against key elements from readily available data.
2. Preliminary Feasibility Study
A more detailed review including: constraints mapping, estimation of wind resource (where applicable), consideration of terrain / obstacles, consultation with agreed telecommunications and aviation stakeholders (subject to client agreement), initial site design reflecting known constraints, initial consideration of ecology, ornithology and other potential issues.
3. Detailed Feasibility Study
A detailed study including a site visit, consultation with project stakeholders (subject to client agreement) including the Local Planning Authority, statutory and other natural heritage bodies, review of local planning policy, assessment of constraints for telecommunications and aviation, consideration of nearby and potential cumulative impact issues, grid connection assessment including discussion with distribution network operator, initial assessment of access conditions, wind resource predictions including roughness mapping and site specific park efficiency to inform energy production estimate, use of local met data where available, identifying turbine location(s), production of zone of theoretical visibility (ZTV), assessment of likely Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) requirements or equivalent for non-EIA projects, drafting of project programme, financial analysis, and production of a report summarising the above which can be used as a scoping report.
4. Specialist technical design and analysis of specific issues (Wind farms)
Where specific technical issues emerge, we can provide targeted further investigation. We have developed a rigorous system of site design involving carefully mapping over twenty potential constraints to wind energy development turbine projects, ensuring produced designs are robust and minimising later changes. Specialists examine specific technical issues such as wind turbine - aviation interaction, noise, shadow flicker, access feasibility, delivery routing and design including swept path analysis, and junction design. Our in-house photomontage team produce visualisations to inform project options or discussions with stakeholders. Where grid connection issues emerge, an in-house engineer can identify the technical options available. Having these services available in-house minimises the potential for delay and design changes, ensures the client can be kept informed and moves projects towards an optimum project design.
Contact us to find out how we can help you.