Harnessing Irelands Wind Energy Potential

Ref: http://www.windfair.net/press/8001.html

Abstract

The aim of this assignment is to investigate Ireland’s wind energy potential and how this potential force can be harnessed, to reduce the country’s fossil fuel dependency. It will first investigate why wind energy is important in the context of Ireland and then identify the technology available. How this technology is introduced, the challenges facing its implementation and the economic roadmap enabling its introduction will then be discussed. Finally, areas for development and the challenges facing Ireland will be summarised and arguments for how these can be overcome in the future will be put forward.

Introduction

Ireland, as well as all of the countries in the world, produces its daily energy needs by the unrelenting use of ever depleting fossil fuels. Da Rose (2009) points out that fossil fuel dependence accounts for more than 85% of the world’s energy needs [1]. For a resource that is finite, it is obvious that unless the production of this resource is equal to demand then generations to come will be not be afforded the same overdependence. Given that the time taken to produce of one year’s worth of fossil fuels to meet our demand takes thousands of years to create, this shows somewhat alarmingly, that our usage and sustainability is under increasing risk with respect to time.

One potential resolution is the use of wind energy to deliver electricity needs. Wind energy, due to Ireland’s geography, represents a potential opportunity to harness the power of the wind and reduce our fossil fuel dependency. According to SEAI’s 2011 annual report, Irelands import dependency on fossil fuels was at ~90% with a stark and sustained rise since the mid 1990’s [2]. The potential savings from reducing or eliminating the import needs of fossil fuels as well as the environmental and job creation opportunities to facilitate putting the infrastructure in place, represents a major opportunity for the country to become energy independent.

In recent times governments have realised the finite resources of fossil fuels are becoming increasingly limited, and with import prices on the rise, an alternative plan needed to be proposed. The Irish government in partnership with EU goals, introduced targets for total energy needs by renewable means. The current target is to have 16% of total energy consumption to come from renewable sources by 2020. With regards to electricity, the expected targets of supply by renewable sources is 15% in 2010 with this rising to 40% by 2020. Such legislations and of course incentives have helped Ireland make steady progress towards these goals [2].

Why wind energy?

Wind is a natural sustainable resource abundant in nature that has many advantages over fossil fuels. Firstly, wind is readily available and Ireland’s geographical location puts the country in an envious position relative to our European neighbours. The advantages at Ireland’s disposal are shown in Fig 1. This shows the wind speeds measured at 50m above ground level. It can be seen that Ireland's North / West coast along with the North / West coast of the UK demonstrates some of the most wind rich terrain in the EU.

As each day passes, wind energy is going to waste as the renewable drive gets into gear, but it is still viewed as a potential energy, as opposed to an abundant method of energy derivation. This waste however is not necessarily crucial as wind is an infinite resource and there is more than enough to meet our daily needs on an on-going basis. Adding to the primary reason that wind is just abundantly available, a secondary reason is the environmental factors, which make wind energy attractive to both the government and future generations. Fears about global warming, carbon emissions and the fact we are creating a toxic atmosphere for future generations make wind energy, as well as other “Green Energies”, a much sought after alternative means of energy production.

Fig 1 Graphic of wind speeds at 50m

Wind is a clean energy without hazardous emissions from CO2 or harmful waste products being emitted into the environment. Wind can be harnessed easily, and does not have the same devastating impact on the environment. Finally, the economic benefits of such a system make it attractive as a business. Bearing in mind the fact that wind is free the volume of job creation in order to set up the infrastructure to deliver a sustainable model could yield vast amounts of job opportunities for generations to come.

With a future Ireland fully harnessing the power of the wind our supply potential may even out match our demand, giving the rise to the possibility that Ireland may one day become a haven for wind somewhat like the middle-eastern countries are today because of their oil production. Connecting our national grid to the UK and mainland Europe opens up an export potential and additional revenue streams for the Irish economy.

Wind Energy Technology

In order to harness the potential wind energy, wind turbines must be used to convert the power of the wind into electricity. Once produced this electricity must be connected to some electrical grid or means of storage. The extensive application of wind seems to have originated in Persia where it was used for grinding wheat. The Arab conquest spread this technology throughout the Islamic world and China. In Europe, wind turbines made their appearance in the eleventh century and two centuries later became an important tool, especially in Holland [3]. The first significant wind turbine, designed specifically for the generation of electricity, was built by Charles Brush in Cleveland, Ohio. It operated for 12 years, from 1888 to 1900, supplying the needs of his mansion [3]. It was not until the 1970’s oil crisis that interest in wind power was re-established, and the establishment of wind farms became much more common due to tax incentives [4].

In modern wind turbines, the conversion process uses the aerodynamic force of lift to produce a positive torque on the turbines rotating shaft, resulting in the production of mechanical power that is then transformed into electricity in a generator [5]. Wind turbines, unlike almost every other generator, can produce energy only in response to the wind that is immediately available. It is impossible to store the wind and use it when required, hence the output of the wind turbine is intermittent and fluctuates [5].

Wind Turbine Types

There are mainly two types of wind turbine:

· The horizontal axis

· The vertical axis

Horizontal Axis Wind Turbine

The horizontal axis wind turbine (HAWT), is the most common type of wind turbine in use today. These turbines have a horizontal rotor shaft and an electrical generator that are both located at the top of a tower [6]. The axis of rotation is parallel to the ground and these HAWT’s usually consist of two or three blades. The rotors of these turbines are usually classified according to the rotor orientation (upwind or downwind of the tower) [6].

Vertical Axis Wind Turbine

The vertical axis wind turbine (VAWT), is designed with a vertical rotor shaft, a generator and a gearbox that is placed at the bottom of the turbine. These have a uniquely shaped rotor blade that is designed to harvest the power of the wind no matter what direction it is blowing [7]. Figure 2 below shows several various types of wind turbines both VAWT and HAWT in configuration.

Fig 2 Various Wind Turbine Types

Turbine Technology Types

In addition to the physical differences between wind turbines, there are differences with respect to the technology used, enabling them to achieve their desired output. There are three classifications of wind turbines:

1. Constant Speed Turbine – Runs at a single speed regardless of wind velocity and tends to be cheaper and more robust. They are however liable to mechanical stress, aerodynamic efficiency and noise.

2. Variable Speed Feed Induction Generator – As the turbines runs at variable speed it offers greater aerodynamic efficiency, reduced mechanical stress and lower noise levels. They are however, more expensive.

3. Variable Speed Direct Drive – This type eliminates the gearbox and their associated mechanical issues and offers improved performance through the choice of components utilized. They are however, the most expensive option from an initial capital investment perspective [20].

Wind Turbine Components

Both the HAWT and the VAWT wind turbines consist of similar components but the orientations and or position, differ between each component. There are six main components to a wind turbine. Al-Shemmeri briefly describes each as [7]:

Rotor – The rotor is an elegant aerofoil shaped blade that takes the oncoming wind and aerodynamically converts its kinetic energy into mechanical energy through a connected shaft in its centre.

Gearbox – The gearbox changes the rotational velocity of the shaft to suit the generator type.

Control and protection system – This system acts as a safety feature that ensures that the turbine will not work under dangerous conditions. It includes a brake system that may be triggered by the signal of high winds and prevent the rotor from moving under excessive wind gusts.

Tower – This is that main shaft that connects the rotor to the foundation and also is the basis for how high the rotor can be elevated. In HAWTs this tower can also house a stairs to allow for maintenance and inspection.

Foundation – The base supports the entire turbine and must be well fixed to the ground or structure that it is mounted on. It usually consists of a solid concrete assembly around the base of the tower.

Each of these various components can be seen in Fig 3 and the interactions between them depending on the orientation of the turbine.

Fig 3 Wind Turbine Components

Wind Turbine Placement

The placement or “sitting” of wind turbines is of critical importance to their output. In order for a wind turbine to be effective, it needs to be positioned in an area where it can access a relatively consistent flow of the wind. Obstructions such as buildings, hills or trees can alter or hinder the flow of wind causing what is known as roughness, and hence not allow for the best turbine performance. The amount of wind energy available at any location depends on two sets of factors [7]:

1. Climatic factors (Time of day, Season, Location, Topography and Local Weather)

2. Mechanical factors (Diameter of Rotor, Type of Turbine)

Climatic Factors

During site selection for a wind turbine or indeed a wind farm, the above factors are critical to ensuring the wind turbine receives the best possible opportunity to deliver its intended output. Each of the factors above is important but the climatic factors are what primarily will separate one proposed location from the next. Several data sets will need to be collected and analysed before final placement can be decided. Some real data collected is shown graphically in fig 4. This shows the variation in wind speed at Malin Head, Co Donegal. It can be seen that the variation in wind by year is quite substantial. While this is a vast period of time, 20 years, it suggests that should the variation in wind speed be severe enough, it may render the turbine useless or not allow it to operate at effective capacities for sustained periods of time.

Fig 4 Mean wind speed Malin Head

Mechanical Factors

With site selection primarily determined by the climatic factors, the mechanic factors of the turbine determine the output of the system. Wind velocities tend to increase at higher altitudes as the surface aerodynamic drag is reduced. For this reason, the higher the turbine can be from the ground, the greater the wind speeds it will be exposed to. It is also important to factor in that typical survey data taken will most likely be at a lower level to that of the fully built turbine. The turbine may sit close to 100m from the ground but the survey readings and anemometers data may be much lower.

Storage Methods and Security of Supply

One of the drawbacks of wind energy is the intermittent availability of wind when the consumer requires it. Wind is unpredictable and cannot be created. This represents a real challenge in the implementation of wind energy. Zobaa et al 2011 showed in Fig 5 the variation in wind speed during a 24 hr period. While this data is just one data point, it can be seen to have high variation. Fig 6 represents data taken in the UK showing the demand for electricity during various times of the day. In this profile, it can be seen in Fig 5 that the wind speed peaks at mid-day and this does not correspond to the demand peak at 6pm.

Fig 5 Wind Speed Data Fig 6 Electricity Demand Profile

This data outlines the need for storage media to allow on demand supply in times of lower turbine output. A study commissioned by UCC [8] and funded by Sustainable Energy Ireland (SEI) categorised storage applications into the following groups:

1 Mechanical: Pumped Hydro, Compressed Air, Flywheel

2 Electromagnetic: Super-capacitors, Super-conducting magnets

3 Electrochemical: Batteries, Flow Batteries hydrogen

These storage methods can help address the intermittency problems and allow output when desired. Storage however has many challenges to overcome and no one system is perfect. The Electricity Storage Association (ESA) [9] argue that each storage technology has inherent limitations or disadvantages that make them practical and economical for only a limited range of applications. This, it seems, is a major hurdle in wind energy implementation as the wind cannot be “ramped up” during peak supply periods.

Power output

The power output of a wind turbine varies with the wind speed and each turbine has a typical power-rating curve from its manufacturer. An example of this power curve shown in Fig 7 highlights the power output as a function of wind speed. There are three key areas of this curve:

1. Cut in Speed – This is the minimum wind speed required for the turbine to generate useful power.

2. Rated Wind Speed – The wind speed at which the maximum power output of the turbine is reached.

3. Storm Protection Shutdown or Cut out Speed – The maximum permissible wind speed at which the turbine is allowed to produce for safety and engineering / mechanical reasons.

Fig 7 Turbine power Output

These curves are determined from field tests using standard testing methods and every turbine will have an associated power curve [10]. The translation from the wind speed to the power output can be completed theoretically. Al-Shemmeri 2010, derives the power output of a wind turbine in Equation 1 [11].

Where

P -Is the power output

Cp -Power co-efficient

ρ -Air density

A -Rotor swept area

V -Wind speed

There is also a capacity factor to be taken into account since wind speed is not constant and the full load hours will vary. This will have an effect on the output of the system. Typical capacity factors range in the 20-40% range [22] and as such, have large impact on the system output.

Connection to the Grid

As described earlier, storage of turbine power output is a challenge in a small-scale operation. There is another means of distributing the energy throughout a network and that is by connecting it to the national grid. This would offer a uniform supply should a particular turbine or indeed set of turbines encounter technical difficulty. However it does not provide a means of secure supply, in the case of a significant period, where wind speeds reduce below the rated or even cut in points. Connecting to the grid also allows somewhat remote areas to provide electricity needs to an urban area. In Ireland, such a scheme exists and there is a process by which an application may be made to Eirgrid or ESB Networks to connect to the Grid [12]. Fig 8 shows Ireland's electricity supply flow from generation through to supply. The transmission and distribution of generated electricity must pass through two bodies to make it to the end user. This monopoly puts these bodies in a strong position with a large degree of influence and ability to slow down connections significantly.

Advantages and Disadvantages

As with any technology there are many advantages and disadvantages associated with each. The perception of these aspects will also vary by individual and wind energy is no different. Below are some of the headline advantages and disadvantages that wind energy is associated with [17].

Environment: Al-Shemmeri states that wind energy involves no combustion or nuclear reaction and therefore is pollution free [14]. Wind is plentiful, free and available everywhere especially in remote and costal locations. One of the advantages of using wind energy is the prevention of the release of greenhouse gases associated with fossil fuels. This is a quantitative measurable reduction, and with increasing global concerns about greenhouse gas emissions, wind energy would be a key enabler to reducing this effect.

Noise: As wind turbines are using the motion of the rotor to generate electricity they will inevitably make some sound. Wind turbines of good design are generally quiet in operation but will still generate some noise. The turbine blades passing through the air, the gearbox and the generator are the main areas for noise creation. While the blade design and the insulation of the gearbox and generator reduce noise, the wind turbine noise of < 50dB is common [15]. Wind turbines are not permitted to be closer than 300m to a residential dwelling and at this distance, a wind turbine will emit 43dB of noise [16]. This compares to a common refrigerator that has noise emissions in the order of 40 dB.

Bird Kill: Wind turbines are quite large and bird mortality is an area for much focus in relation to wind turbines acceptance. Bird conservationists argue that wind turbines are giant death machines and cause the migration of species from the surrounding areas.

Visual Impact: Due to their size, wind turbines will have a visual impact on both the landscape around it and the view of the area. This impact depends on the individual but this forms an important aspect of the planning stage of any wind farm.

Space Impact: Coupled with the visual impact of wind turbines, they also require the use of land or ocean space. While the physical space the tower and turbine takes is not extremely large, the ideal location on land may be a remote area and at sea may be in shallow water. For the case of land, the installation of the turbines may be the easy part but if the roads and infrastructure are not available, it can add significant cost and duration impacts to the project. Furthermore, an ocean placement will restrict the use of shipping routes. Land usage and location can also have a significant impact on turbine economics due to the cost of purchasing the land itself.

Shadow Flicker: As with the visual impact, the rotation of the turbines blades can also cause issues for local residents as it can cast a moving shadow or cause a flicker effect with the sun in early morning or late evening. This however, is a calculable phenomenon and again should be assessed during the planning phase.

Communication Interference: Turbines can also interfere with radar signals and cause electromagnetic interference but most cases can be mitigated. The interaction of wind turbines and navigational or defence radar signals is the subject of considerable recent attention [17].

Wind Energy Challenges

Wind energy has many challenges to overcome before it can become the primary source of Ireland’s electricity generation. Our existing electricity generation infrastructure suits our current needs, and in the today’s economic climate, there is a temptation to be short-sighted and cut capital expenditure costs. In recent years, energy costs have increased and Ireland’s dependency on imported fossil fuels are a growing cause for concern. In the 2011 SEAI report shown in Fig 9, it can be seen that Ireland’s dependency outnumbers the EU average by some distance. This graph shows that Ireland has almost double the fossil fuel dependency than that of the EU average.

Fig 9 Ireland and the EU import dependency on fossil fuels

This data further highlights the need for action to reduce our dependency, as with the EU average being in the 50% region, shifts in prices and availability would have a far greater impact on Ireland. In the last twenty years, Ireland’s energy demand has almost doubled [18] and the costs of imported fossil fuels have endured a steady rise. With all the leading metrics pointing to a problem, Ireland can no longer depend on fossil fuels to support future needs.

Wind Energy Economics

The European Wind Energy Association (EWEA) report in 2009 goes into some considerable detail regarding the economics of wind energy, and it correlates resulting costs directly to that of a fossil fuel type system. It states that approximately 75% of the total cost of energy from a wind turbine system is directly associated with the upfront costs of the turbine itself, electrical equipment and connection to the grid [19]. To this end, the costs of fossil fuels have no impact on energy costs. For this reason, a wind turbine is categorised as an up-front capital-intensive investment. This is in comparison to the conventional power plants, where as much as 40-70% of the costs are directly associated to fuel, operation and maintenance costs [19]. Fig 10 shows some data for the costs of a typical 2MW wind turbine in Europe and the breakdown of the areas where the costs are distributed.

Fig 10 Example Breakdown of Wind turbine costs

From the very beginning, the initial investment costs are high, and considerable amounts of up-front capital are required. Unlike fossil fuel based plants, post this initial intensive capital investment stage, is where the cost of the project begins to pay dividends and the only costs incurred from this point on are largely for that of operation and maintenance (O&M).

Prior to the commencement of a project, it will obviously be necessary to calculate the economic value of implementing a system, and the resulting cost of the electricity generated. EWEA has compiled a summary of the expected costs based on an onshore and offshore location and this is a cost per kWh as a function of the expected lifetime of the turbine. There are separate costing types, Onshore and Offshore

Onshore wind turbines - The cost per kWh of electricity produced is calculated by leveling the investment and O&M costs over the lifetime of the turbine, and dividing them by the annual electricity production [19]. Fig 11 shows the calculated costs per kWh as a function of wind. This shows a cost of between €0.05 and €0.10 per kWh depending on the low to high wind speeds.

Fig 11 Onshore Wind Energy Costs on 1.5-2 MW Turbine

The EWEA warn however that this is an average cost. At the beginning of the project, reliability should be high and associated costs reduced. As the turbine gets older and reliability becomes an issue, these costs will increase. For this reason Fig 11 is an average representation over the lifetime of the turbine 20-25 years [19]. Furthermore, it is obvious that the location and land parameters also have a drastic effect on the cost of electricity. This relates directly back to the site selection criteria identified earlier.

Offshore Wind Turbines – Offshore wind turbines account for a smaller percentage of the total wind power capacity, as they are more expensive and hence harder to attract investment. This additional cost is due to putting the turbines in the ocean and will incur much more capital costs for the foundation and electrical cabling required. EWEA estimate this additional cost to be in the order of 50% more expensive than that of onshore turbines [19]. For this reason, sea depth is a critical parameter for offshore turbine costs. This however is not proving to be as big a deterrent as the higher wind speeds, longer full load hours and lower visual impact appeals to several areas and is resulting in very ambitious goals with respect to off shore wind [19].

Classifying the turbines by area and by associated costs gives a good indication as to the cost per kWh of a particular project. The final decision is most likely determined by the bottom line costs. Wind energy, although decreasing in cost, is still more expensive that traditional coal or gas generated electricity. Fig 12 shows the estimated costs of each method as determined by the EWEA.

Fig 14 Electricity Consumption by Fuel Source

It is however clear to see, that the renewable energy mix, shown in green within the graph, is gradually increasing in its share. European and Irish policy is the key driver behind this increase and wind energy is playing a significant role. Of the 14.4% highlighted as the 2009 provisional renewable share, wind energy is accounting for over 10% of this share. Fig 15 shows the increase in renewable energy sources as a percentage of the overall gross electricity consumption.

Fig 15 Renewable share of overall Electricity Consumption

What is striking from the graphical image is the sharp rise in the wind energy contribution. This highlights that the overall renewable energy increases are solely down to wind energy. In fact, hydroelectric power is decreasing and Biomass is flat indicating that these are not growth areas. This indicates that wind energy will be the dominant force behind achieving the 40% target in 2020.

Enabling Wind Energy

Setting targets and statements of intent are always a good start in any new venture however in order for a venture to be successful the correct levers and processes must be in place to allow ultimate success. Governments must provide policies, procedures and financial incentive to proposed investors to give any venture a healthy start. Wind energy is no different and some of the enablers that have been put in place are as follows:

Planning permission: Large-scale wind farms must go through a planning permission phase much similar to that of any construction site. These applications made to the local council, must be approved for any construction to begin. Planning permission can be a slow process, and at this critical stage, the local acceptance of a venture is key to its survival. In recent times, a micro-generation process has been implemented. This encourages small-scale operations access to a streamlined, one page process, that can be submitted for such small-scale operations. These operations have limits of electricity generation of 11kW when connected to 400V grid and 6kW when connected to the 230V grid [31] but can dramatically reduce the planning phase. Furthermore, exemption from the planning permission can be provided if the turbine hub is below 10m and the maximum tip height is below 13m. Commercial installations can increase the maximum blade tip height to 20m and still obtain this exemption. One of the primary issues observed by the Irish Wind Energy Association (IWEA) is that the standard planning permission expires 5 years after it is granted and it can take up to 6 years for a grid connection application to be processed [32]. This leads to multiple delays and brings additional risk to projects. While it seems the planning permission stages have endured much criticism, and have plenty of room for improvement, they are a necessary process for the correct vetting of prospective projects.

Electricity Generation Licence: Developers or investors who wish to construct a wind farm must also apply to the Commissioner for Energy Regulation (CER) for a generator licence. On approval of this licence, the requestor must also get approval from this body to construct any development [31].

Grid Connection agreement: In order to connect to the national grid an agreement will need to be obtained from ESB networks or Eirgrid depending on the size, (greater than 40MW), and location of the installation. The CER uses a process called the “Gate Process” to regulate the granting of connections by the transmission system operator (Eirgrid) and the distribution system operator (ESB Networks Limited) [33]. To date there have been three “gates” whereby connections have been granted. Gate 1 and 2 are no longer available, as they have surpassed closing dates, leaving Gate 3 as the current process whereby applications are processed. Gate 3 gives priority to projects that have the ability to integrate with the current grid without the grid requiring extensive upgrades. Scannell (2011) argues that this method has been widely criticized by those in the industry, as it fails to take into account the minimization of connection costs. Furthermore, some parties argue that the absence of any need to prove receipt of planning permission, wind studies, financing and turbine supply arrangements has led to an increase in the number of speculative applications [33]. Under this gate process, 1,700MW were accepted under gates 1 and 2 with a further 3,900 MW added by mid-2011 under gate 3. If built, this currently granted capacity would be sufficient to meet Ireland's goal of 40% by 2020 [33].

Incentives: In order to promote renewable energy generation of electricity, a renewable energy feed-in tariff (REFIT) was introduced in 2006. This scheme aimed to ensure that a minimum price depending on wind farm size, 5.7 to 5.9 cent per kWh, would be paid to a potential investor, and that a long-term agreement would be in place to ensure stable revenue for the investor [34]. This agreement typically provided a payment for every kWh contracted under a power purchase agreement (PPA). Under REFIT 2006, which mostly supported Gate 2 projects, a maximum of 15 years agreement, and not after 31 December 2025, was allowed to be contracted, to secure revenue streams. After 2025, the energy price for these projects would be set by the market [33]. This incentive-based scheme, promoted the set-up of renewable energy projects and Scannell states that in its first year, REFIT 2006 allocated 98% of its agreements to wind farms. Of these applications, proof of grid connections agreements and planning permissions would need to be provided, showing that they were indeed viable projects [33].

Best practices / Standards: The Large Industry Energy Network (LIEN) is a voluntary grouping, facilitated by the SEAI, of companies that work together to develop and maintain robust energy management [35]. Over 140 of Ireland’s largest energy users are members of the LIEN, and over 80 of these companies are also members of the Energy Agreement programme that are implementing the Energy Management Standard EN 16001. Ireland's energy management standard, IS 393 (2005) formed the basis for the EN 16001 standard and seeks to promote best practices in energy management [36]. This is supported by the Irish Wind Energy Association, (IWEA), and the Sustainable Energy Ireland, (SEI), best practice guidelines. In their document, details of best practices from conception, layout, processes and construction aspects of wind energy are detailed [37]. These support mechanisms, coupled with the Department of the Environment, Heritage & Local Government (DEHLG) ‘Wind Energy Planning Guidelines’, 2006 [38], act as a supporting structure of best known knowledge, to assist and aid all involved to access information critical to the success of a project.

Knockawarriga Wind Farm Case Study

The Knockawarriga Wind Farm is an active wind farm in Co Limerick, Ireland, owned by SWS Natural Resources Ltd. It consists of nine 2.5MW wind turbines with a total output of 22.5MW. This output is enough to provide the electrical power needed by some 18,000 households [39]. The project began in 2001, and in 2008, its first turbines were connected to the Irish national electricity grid. During this seven-year period from conception to operation, several key stages were executed, allowing a successful project outcome. Details of these stages were documented in a recent case study performed by SWS Energy and Bord Gais Energy [40]. The following were the key steps and timelines found in this case study resulting in this successful project:

Planning background: The first planning submission in December 2002 was for wind turbines of 67m hub height. This permission was granted in April 2003 however, an amendment to this was submitted in May 2004 to increase the hub height to 80m. This amendment was approved in August 2004, and provided for the wind turbine size and location. Subsequent permissions were requested for access and internal roads, borrow pits and a permanent meteorological mast and these were all granted. This allowed construction to proceed in October 2006. This shows a significant timeline of sequential planning permissions being submitted and approved totaling four years to gain full approval.

Project Planning and Delivery: In each of these planning stages, multiple phases of feasibility and development were identified as critical to its success. The approval of each phase is testament to the preceding work being carried out, with due diligence and attention to detail, being of central importance. Following the standard process allowed ultimate success but SWS calls out several key proactive approaches it took to ensure each development stage was a success. Technical assessments, environmental and planning assessments, and consultations, were identified as critical proactive approaches [40]. These approaches were carried out in accordance with the relevant county plan, the IWEA/SEI best practice guidelines, and the Wind Energy Planning Guidelines as detailed previously [37][38]. SWS also identified three main areas for considered during the wind energy development:

Wind resource: Met data for the Knockawarriga area recorded average wind speeds of 7.9m/s at 50m and 8.2m/s at 75m from the ground and this data classed the site as a medium wind speed location.

Planning and Environmental: Feasibility of the site from a wind speed and grid connection, Limerick county development plan, site location in relation to visual and conservation, and the wildlife impacts were classified as the critical factors outlined and researched.

Grid Connection: Grid connection, the final area for consideration according to SWS, and was essentially the enabling mechanism for revenue generation. For the Knockawarriga project, the grid connection undertook a route of some 27km, which was the longest underground cable routing by any wind farm developer [40]. This took detailed planning as the route covered 23km of public road and 4 km of cross country, crossing seven streams requiring the National Parks and Wildlife (NPWS) and the fisheries board to be involved in consultations.

Knockawarriga is one of the many success stories in Ireland, with turbines generating renewable energy electricity output, and contributing to the country successfully meeting its 2010 target. It is also a case study that outlines the planning needed to bring nine wind turbines took seven years to bring from drawing board to electrical output. This puts some perspective on just how long term a wind turbine project is when little to no resistance was encountered. Based on some operation data disclosed in that case study, the Knockawarriga wind farm annual output was measured at 68.1 GWh. This gives a capacity factor of 36.7% from the turbine rated nameplate capacity [40]. The 22.5 MW Knockawarriga wind farm contributes to the overall wind capacity and the IWEA records on its website the installed wind energy capacity by county. This can be seen in Fig 16.

Fig 16 County Wind Map of installed Capacities

This wind energy capacity is planned to increase significantly over the next 9 years to 2020, and the adoption of many of the outlined considerations and processes that were utilized effectively in Knockawarriga, will lead to many more successful projects in Ireland. It is useful to note that the planning process and procedures are identical at every site and the variable factor is the size and location of the wind farm. This does allude to the softer issues of local support and consultation detailed in section 3.4 as being critical to the Knockawarriga project success.

Conclusions and Opportunities

Ireland, over the last decade, has made significant strides in the implementation of electricity generation by renewable energy sources. It is clear to see that EU legislation is the primary driver for this progress, as the cost effectiveness of renewable energy is still not as competitive as traditional fossil fuels methods. As described, Ireland is in a very envious position relative to its European neighbours, and the assets at its disposal in relation to wind energy, must be harnessed to some degree in the near future. It has been shown that Ireland cannot sustain its current fossil fuel generation methods for the long term and maintain the security of supply or cost effectiveness. The economic and environmental benefits make easy reading and are difficult to argue when doing a pro-con analysis. The Irish policymakers and support organisations like the IWEA, SEAI and other organisations all agree that Ireland has the potential to become a global leader in renewable energy, creating many jobs and potential revenue streams that have much value. The words “smart grid” is a much mentioned topic and it is hoped that Ireland can transition to a much more modern two way, versatile, efficient, long term sustainable grid with multiple energy sources like wind, tidal and wave all playing a role in a 21st century Ireland. This vision, coupled with current progress and upward trends, can create many thousands of jobs at a time when the economic down turn and the high numbers of unemployment is having a dramatic impact on the country’s finances. Most recently in June 2011, the IWEA chief executive Dr Michael Walsh argued that a recent deal between Ireland and the UK to connect grids, potentially paves the way for Ireland to exploit the export of its wind energy resources. He argues that this could be a €1.6 billion annual export Industry, with total new employment in this sector being 28,000 people [43]. Such claims are currently far from reality but with each passing year, the depletion of fossil fuels is leading to increased global demand for renewable energy. Ireland is in a favourable position to export and satisfy this increased demand, if it can harness its wind energy potential.

Ireland however, must also satisfy its own energy demands and it is clear that the ~90% dependency on fossil fuels is not sustainable. It is also obvious that wind energy will not be a single sourced solution as the security of supply under a single wind scenario is not acceptable. Ireland will need to use other sources like wave, tidal, biomass, hydroelectric and solar to effectively make up a mix of renewable energy sources to satisfy our demand. As we move towards 2020, it seems that wind energy will make up a significant portion of whether Ireland meets its targets or not. With the drop in demand for energy seen in the last few years due to economic factors, the scale of work still to be completed, is somewhat inconclusive. If the demand continues to drop, then the amount of renewable energy required will drop also, as the EU goals are based on percentage of total demand. Of course, there is also the risk of increased demand, as seen in the economic boom years that have the adverse effect. Approaching 2020 and beyond alternative methods of electricity generation will become critical to balancing the dependency of wind for generation of electricity.

From the research completed, it has been observed that harnessing Ireland's wind energy potential has begun, and the small initial steps are in progress. Supporting mechanisms, while they do exist, have vast areas for improvement. Several valid concerns are visible, most obviously those regarding planning procedures taking far too long, and the approval mechanism looking for the easiest integration means to the current grid, rather than the best end product delivery. The grid connection, gate 3 process, is currently an 18 month processing period on a first come first served basis. With many large scale projects of significant strategic importance pending approval, these need to be prioritized immediately [42]. The REFIT tariff scheme is also an issue, as the current scheme is capped at 1,450 MWh. Projects currently being processed exceed this cap by 1500 MWh, potentially making them ineligible for the tarrif [34]. These will require an overhaul in the near future if the 2020 goals are to be achieved. Further turbine efficiency improvements must also be found to increase output and maximize the full load hours. This along with reduction in turbine costs, will enable a much more competitive cost base for wind energy implementation. Finally, while the existing grid infrastructure, transmission and storage capability can meet the current needs of wind energy with a low market penetration, as wind energy increases its percentage share, grid upgrading and storage technology improvements will be required.

Ireland, in relation to its EU counterparts, is a long way behind in terms of scale of implementation. EU leaders like Spain and Germany have installed capacities many times higher than the installed capacities of Ireland and are established leaders in the industry. This is not to say Ireland is not making remarkable progress however, as a recent press release by Eirgrid stated that on Wednesday evening 2nd November 2011 Ireland’s wind energy infrastructure outputted a record 1,412 megawatts of electricity which is enough to power 918,000 homes nationwide [41]. This is a significant amount of homes and a significant record output when viewed in relation to Ireland's population density compared to that of Germany or Spain. This record will be broken, hopefully many times in the coming years, as Ireland strives to meet the EU goals and achieve 40% of renewable energy sources of electricity by 2020. With the realization of the improvements outlined, and the use of effective planning and implementation strategies already in place, Ireland is on track to achieve this target and continue to harness its wind energy potential. This will lead to a reduced cost of energy for our businesses, stable, more secure supply and cleaner environment for generations to come.

List of References

[1] Fundamentals of Renewable Energy Processes, Aldo da Rosa (2009) Pg. 24

[2] Energy Security in Ireland: A Statistical Overview (2011) by SEAI

[3] Fundamentals of Renewable Energy Processes, Aldo da Rosa (2009) Pg. 723

[4] Fundamentals of Renewable Energy Processes, Aldo da Rosa (2009) Pg. 724

[5] Wind energy Explained, Theory Design and Application. J.F. Manwell, J.G. McGowan, A.L. Rogers. (2002) Pg. 2

[6] Wind energy Explained, Theory Design and Application. J.F. Manwell, J.G. McGowan, A.L. Rogers. (2002) Pg. 3

[7] Wind Turbines, T. Al-Shemmeri (2010) Pg. 46-48

[8] Study of Electricity Storage Technologies and their potential to address wind energy Intermittency in Ireland (2004) by Dr. Adolfo Gonzalez, Dr. Brian Ó Gallachóir, Dr. Eamon McKeogh. Pg. 3

[9] http://www.electricitystorage.org/technology/storage_technologies/technology_comparison (09-11-2011)

[10] Wind energy Explained, Theory Design and Application. J.F. Manwell, J.G. McGowan, A.L. Rogers. (2002) Pg. 8

[11] Wind Turbines T. Al-Shemmeri (2010) Pg. 41-45

[12] Connecting Renewable and CHP Electricity Generators to the Electricity Network by SEI (2008) Pg11-17

[13] http://www.eirgrideastwestinterconnector.ie/ (12-11-2011)

[14] Wind Turbines, T. Al-Shemmeri (2010) Pg. 33

[15] http://www.seai.ie/Renewables/Wind_Energy/Wind_Farms_and_the_Environment/Wind_farm_noise/ (12-11-2011)

[16] http://www.gereports.com/how-loud-is-a-wind-turbine/ (12-11-2011)

[17] Wind Turbines, T. Al-Shemmeri (2010) Pg. 33-37

[18] Energy Security in Ireland by Sustainable energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI)( 2011) Pg. 24

[19] The Economics of Wind Energy by EWEA (2009) Pg. 8-9,56-57

[20] http://www.seai.ie/Renewables/Wind_Energy/Technology_of_Wind_Energy/ (14-11-2011)

[21] A. M. Foley, P. Leahy, and E.J. McKeogh, Wind Energy Integration and the Ireland-Wales Interconnector (2009), 1-4

[22] Renewable Energy Research Laboratory, University of Massachusetts at Amherst, Wind Power: Capacity Factor, Intermittency, and what happens when the wind doesn’t blow (2009), 1-5

[23] http://www.windpowerengineering.com/design/mechanical/blades/whale-fins-influence-wind-turbine-design/ (15-11-2011)

[24] http://hardware.slashdot.org/story/10/07/20/0554252/in-oregon-wind-power-surges-disrupting-grid (15-11-2011)

[25] http://agreenliving.net/advances-in-wind-energy/ (15-11-2011)

[26] Social acceptance of renewable energy innovation: An introduction to the concept, Rolf Wustenhagen, Maarten Wolsink, Mary Jean Burer (2007), 2683-2691

[27] National Renewable Energy Action Plan Ireland, (2010), 5

[28] Directive 2001/77/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council, (2001), 33-38

[29] Renewable Energy in Ireland, SEAI, (2010) Update, 3-20

[30] http://www.energyefficiencynews.com/i/3106/ (3-12-2011)

[31] http://www.seai.ie/Renewables/Microgeneration (3.12-2011)

[32] http://www.iwea.com/index.cfm/page/currentissues (3-12-2011)

[33] Renewable Energy Policies, Programmes and Progress in Ireland, Yvonne Scannell, (2011), 155-176

[34] Renewable Energy Feed in Tariff, REFIT (2006), 4-8

[35] http://www.seai.ie/Your_Business/Large_Energy_Users/Energy_Agreements_Programme/ (6-12-2011)

[36] http://www.seai.ie/Your_Business/Large_Energy_Users/Energy_Management_Standard/ (6-12-2011)

[37] Best Practice Guidelines for the Irish Wind Energy Industry, SEI, (2008)

[38] The Department of the Environment, Heritage & Local Government (DEHLG) ‘Wind Energy Planning Guidelines’, 2006

[39] http://www.nordex-online.com/en/references/case-studies.html, Knockawarriga (6-12-2011)

[40] http://www.seai.ie/Renewables/Wind_Energy/Casestudies/ Knockawarriga Windfarm case study , (25-11-2011)

[41] http://www.eirgrid.com/aboutus/latestnews/ (13-12-2011)

[42] Developing the Green Economy in Ireland, Forfas, (2009), 40

List of Figures

1. http://www.windatlas.dk/Europe/EuropeanWindResource.html. (21 Oct 2011)

2. Wind Turbines, T. Al-Shemmeri (2010) Pg. 46

3. Wind Turbines, T. Al-Shemmeri (2010) Pg. 47

4. http://www.wind-energy-the-facts.org/en/part-i-technology/chapter-2-wind-resource-estimation/local-wind-resource-assessment-and-energy-analysis/the-annual-variability-of-wind-speed.html (09 Nov 2011)

5. Handbook of renewable energy technology (2011), Amhed F Zobaa and Remesh Bansai Pg. 82

6. http://www.nationalgrid.com/uk/sys_07/print.asp?chap=2 ( 27-11-2011)

7. http://mcensustainableenergy.pbworks.com/w/page/20638217/Wind%20Turbine%20Design (12-11-2011)

8. Connecting Renewable and CHP Electricity Generators to the Electricity Network by SEI (2008) Pg17

9. Energy Security in Ireland by Sustainable energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) (2011) Report Pg. 24

10. The Economics of Wind Energy by EWEA (2009) Pg. 8

11. The Economics of Wind Energy by EWEA (2009) Pg. 57

12. The Economics of Wind Energy by EWEA (2009) Pg. 13

13. Renewable Energy in Ireland, SEAI, (2010) Update Pg. 16

14. Renewable Energy in Ireland, SEAI, (2010) Update Pg. 17

15. Renewable Energy in Ireland, SEAI, (2010) Update Pg. 18

16. http://www.iwea.com/index.cfm/page/windmap (7-12-2011)