RDES News - RD Energy Solutions

RDES are developing a micro hydro scheme for North Lanarkshire Council at Strathclyde Loch near Motherwell. The scheme is a low head site using the drop between the Loch and the River Clyde. The novel archimedes screw turbine will be employed. The system will generate 50 kW and 100% of the power generated will be used on site. RDES have designed the system and are managing the consents process. Planning permission to construct the project was obtained on 29th April 2008.

RD Energy Solutions were appointed as lead consultant for the project, tasked with co-ordinating and managing a multi-disciplinary team of architects, engineers, and contractors. This landmark project is the largest steam biomass boiler installed in NHS Scotland (with approx 2,300 tonnes carbon dioxide offset per annum), and provides the base load heating requirements for the NHS Dumfries Royal Infirmary and will provide significant cost saving to the site.

Skelmonae Wind farm, a four turbine development located in central Aberdeenshire, has been granted planning approval. RDES were contracted to complete the Landscape and Visual section of the Environmental Impact Assessment and this included considerable visualisation work. With 17 other operational or planned wind developments within 30km of the site there was also a significant requirement for cumulative visual assessment. Aberdeenshire Council were satisfied that the likely individual and cumulative visual impacts had been fully assessed and concluded that the area was able to accommodate the development.

As well as undertaking full planning and project management RDES are increasingly being asked to undertake specialist technical works for third party renewable energy developments.

RD Energy solutions has been awarded a 46 Wind Turbine installation for a new build industrial development in Liverpool.  This landmark project is to be one of the largest micro-wind installations in the UK, and our team is very excited to be involved.  RDES has been contracted to deliver a turn-key installation, with work scheduled to commence on site in March 08.

For the past 12 months, RDES have been assisting a farmer in Aberdeenshire whom is interested in investigating wind development opportunities at his property.  The pre-feasibility study yielded favourable results, and it was decided to conduct wind monitoring for a 12 month period. 

After completion of the environmental scoping study and attaining planning approval from council, the 50m wind monitoring mast was installed in November.  Our wind energy team, lead by Ian McLean, are monitoring the wind data and compiling monthly averages and statistics for the client.  After 12 months of monitoring, the tower shall be decomissioned, and a full feasibility on the site’s economic potential shall be undertaken.

The Tomatin Hydro scheme, a small scale project for a homeowner near Inverness, was officially commissioned on the 11/12/2007. The micro hydro project generates 10kW of green energy, sufficient to power 8 average UK homes. It features a cross flow twin jet Pelton turbine, driving a 4 pole, induction generator. RD Energy Solutions have designed, installed, and commissioned the system, in addition to supplying all of the electro-mechanical components. For further information, please contact Nick Bard.

The construction of the 1.5 MW Biomass boiler has commenced at the Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary, with the demolition of the old Incinerator house. RD Energy Solutions has been appointed as chief consultant for the project, to co-ordinate and manage a multi-disciplinary team of architechts, engineers, and builders. This landmark project is to be the largest steam biomass boiler installed in Scotland (with approx 2,300 tonnes CO2 offset p.a.), and shall provide the base load heating requirements for the NHS Dumfries Royal Infirmary.

The demolition works of the old incerator was completed over the last few weeks, with construction of the fuel store for the new boiler commencing in mid-November. Final comissioning of the project scheduled for March 08.

Over the last 12 months, RDES has been working with EAE distribution- a specialist leaflet distribution company in Midlothian, to provide a turnkey installation of a 6kW wind turbine. Our team has been involved in this project right from the pre-feasiblity study phase, assisting to secure grant funding in February this year, and finally the installation of the turbine. On November 14th, the turbine is to be officially commissioned by Jim Mather MSP, Minister for Enterprise, Energy and Tourism.

The turbine is mounted on a 15 metre tower, to give it optimal exposure to wind above the surrounding buildings- as the site is located in a small industrial estate. Power generated from the turbine shall to be utilised on site, with excess exported back to the grid. Based on an estimated mean wind speed of 5.3m/s, the turbine is expected to generate approximately 12,000 kWh pa, equivalent to a savings of approximately £1,200 for the clients electricity bill each year.

RDES would like to thank EAE Distribution for the opportunity to be involved in the project; their enthusiasm for renewables made them a pleasure to work with.

RD Energy Solutions is proud to announce the launch of our new anemometer and data logger package. The anemometer features a LCD touch screen, which displays instantaneous wind speed, direction and a data logger.

Wind monitoring is an invaluable tool for determining your sites suitability for wind development, as it records not only wind speeds over a period, but also the prevailing direction. This ensures that any wind development can be made with optimal exposure to prevailing winds.

We recommend that home owners/business whom have only a marginal wind resource available complete at least 6 months of monitoring with an anemometer. This enables the client to make a more reliable estimation of the generation potential and the payback period of any investment in a micro-wind turbine, and obviously it represents a much smaller investment in comparison to the purchase of a wind turbine.

The anemometer, complete with data-logger, LCD display, mounting bracket and software is available at £99.95 + postage. For further information, please contact Richard Feenan.

We are delighted to welcome Richard Feenan to the company, who has joined us in the role of Business Development Manager. Richard comes from a strong Sales background and business relationship management in both the banking and I.T. industry. He will be responsible for creating new business, marketing our new products, and fostering client relationships.