RDES News - RD Energy Solutions

RD Energy Solutions have recently carried out renewable energy consultancy for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde across a number of sites. One of the recomendations being the installation of six wind turbines on the roof of Inverclyde Royal Hospital. This project featured in a recent article in ‘The Herald’ in which NHS (GGC) said iit was “one of the most ambitious NHS energy efficiency drives witnessed in Scotland”

The turbines will be used to create electricity to help run Inverclyde Royal Hospital. The authority said it was drawing up a raft of initiatives to slash its carbon footprint by as much as 25% over the next eight years and is also considering a raft of other measures aimed at cutting energy bills. NHS GGC facilities director Alex McIntyre said: “The hospital site in Greenock is ideally suited for wind turbines given that the hospital is high on a hill exposed to fairly constant wind.

“Every little bit helps when it comes to saving energy and although these turbines will not be able to power the hospital, they will go some way to reducing the amount of electricity we need to buy from the national grid.”

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 was approached by an Edinburgh construction company to design, supply and install a renewable energy system at 7 schools across Edinburgh.  We have carried out a full assessment of each site and have signed a contract to supply and install an educational pack on each school, which features a small Rutland turbine (90W) in conjunction with a small PV panel.  The output can be logged, along with weather data, and integrated into a PC within classrooms.

These educational packs provide an excellant introduction into micro renewable energy systems, and hopefully will develop an interest in energy and the environment for all of the students.  

RD Energy Solutions has been awarded a contract for the turn key installation of a Wind/Solar PV renewable energy system at the University of Huddersfield, West Yorkshire.  The system is comprised of 6 x Stealthgen 400W micro wind turbines, along with 4kW of solar PV.   Wind turbines typically generate more energy across Winter (during Britain’s windiest period) whereas solar PV is more efficient over Summer, therefore, it is often beneficial to combine the two technologies.  This combined system shall supply a constant supply of green electricity throughout the year.

 The installation phase is commencing next week, with the commissioning of the system at the end of February.

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.

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.