CWM Arian Report Small-Signed

Cymdeithas Cwm Arian Renewable Energy Feasibility Study Report
Cymdeithas Cwm Arian Renewable Energy Feasibility Study Revision 2

March 2006
Report Status:
FINAL Name Signature Stephen Smith Andy Warrington Rod Edwards Date 23/03/06 23/03/06 23/03/06
Prepared By: Checked By: Approved By:
Stephen Smith Andy Warrington Rod Edwards
Prepared By: Dulas Ltd Unit 1, Dyfi Eco Park Machynlleth Powys SY20 8AX Tel: Fax: Email: Web: +44 (0)1654 705000 +44 (0)1654 703000 webenquiry@dulas.org.uk www.dulas.org.uk
Prepared For: Cymdeithas Cwm Arian Pantyrysgol Hermon Glogue Pembrokeshire SA36 0DT
Cymdeithas Cwm Arian Renewable Energy Feasibility Study
80000 population 16000 household
Executive Summary
The renewable energy feasibility study conducted on behalf of Cymdeithas Cwm Arian involved an initial overview of the broad suitability of all renewable energy and low energy technologies within the area of consideration. Cymdeithas Cwm Arian are particularly interested in the development of renewable energy schemes capable of benefiting the wider community. Dulas Ltd were instructed to conduct initial assessment with a view to identifying technologies and locations most likely to meet this requirement. Cwm Arian is predominantly hilly agricultural land and the site area does not include any particularly large buildings or concentrated electricity or heat loads, and for this reason larger scale biomass, district heating and combined heat and power (CHP) schemes are considered unviable, and therefore unlikely to be of community benefit. Renewable energy has reasonable potential to address a proportion of the electricity and heat requirement of individual buildings at domestic and agricultural scale. In all such cases it is important to address energy efficiency and the reduction of energy demand prior to considering on site renewable energy. A wide range of renewable energy and energy efficiency options and applications are outlined within the report but have not been selected for detailed consideration as, individually, they are unlikely to provide wider community benefit. Cymdeithas Cwm Arian were keen to assess the potential for wind and hydro power, and these proved to be the technologies with most potential. Three potential sites were identified for examination in greater depth. 1) Wind generation scheme above Pantygwyddel 2) Refurbishment of existing small Hydro Scheme at Afon Gafel, Pont-y-Gafel 3) Development of new small hydro scheme at Glogue Quarry, Wind generation above Pantygwyddel appears technically and economically feasible. The identified site is technically suitable for an installed capacity of up to two 1.2MW turbines, however Pembrokeshire Council and National Park Authority are planning to produce Supplementary Planning Guidance (SPG) on wind energy which may restrict the size of turbines likely to be permitted outside of specifically identified areas. If Camarthenshire follows the example of Powys, Denbigshire and Conwy the acceptable turbine size may be restricted to 70m (to tip), roughly equivalent to a maximum turbine capacity of 1MW. Examination of the potential for a community wind scheme has shown that a 2 x 330 kW turbine scheme is unlikely to be economically feasible. Should grant funding or a higher electricity purchase price be realised this could change. A 2 x 500 kW scheme would be feasible, cost around 652,800, generate 2,190,000 kWh per year and be worth some 37,000 to the community over the scheme lifetime. Similarly, the 2 x 800kW scheme should cost 842,000, generate 3,723,000 kWh and be worth around 475,000 to the community over 15 years. The 2 x 1.2MW would generate the most electricity at 5,256,000 kWh per annum, worth 944,026 over the modelled timeframe. It would also cost the most at an estimated 1,150,000 and present the highest risk on planning and implementation. The smaller schemes may also be enhanced by the addition of an additional turbine. We have included details of a 2 x 1.2MW and a 2 x 500kW development within the report together with an outline of recommendations and next steps. However, we suggest that
Cwm Arian Report REV2 .doc E4354 Page 1 March 2006
Cymdeithas Cwm Arian may wish to await the publication of draft SPG, or at least discuss in detail with planning officers, before seeking to pursue a particular scale of wind energy scheme. The refurbishment of the existing small hydro scheme at Afon Gafel, Pont-y-Gafel is subject to considerable uncertainty. The hydro infrastructure is currently privately owned, and it is not clear if it will be available for community use or ownership. The scheme, and particularly the intake structure, has been constructed to a rough and ready specification which may not withstand heavy flooding and which does not allow accurate monitoring of either total flow or abstraction rate. The scheme does not appear to have a current abstraction licence (a vital document granting permission to divert a set proportion of flow) and whilst an assumption of 50% has been used for the purposes of feasibility assessment the actual permissible abstraction would have to be negotiated with the Environment Agency. The turbine and penstock appear in reasonable condition (although the turbine is somewhat undersized), however the scheme as a whole would require substantial refurbishment and upgrading in order to meet the reliability expected of a grid connected community scheme and the stringent criteria now required by the Environment Agency.
67/euro
A full refurbishment, including grid connection is likely to cost in the region of 116,000 realising an expected electrical output of approximately 29kW and generating in the region of 130 MWh per annum. Our financial model indicates that the scheme could be expected to realise an income in the region of 6,600 after operation and maintenance costs (excluding any landowner rental or payments) and for this reason we conclude that the scheme is unlikely to be cost effective without substantial grant aid. If the scheme is to be progressed Cymdeithas Cwm Arian will need to agree transfer of the scheme from the current owner to the community and identify the necessary level of funding. We would recommend that if this can be achieved Cymdeithas Cwm Arian should seek to appoint an experienced hydro developer to enter into negotiations with the Environment Agency and planning authority, obtain an updated grid connection estimate, and provide a detailed quotation and costing. The development of a new hydro scheme on a tributary of the Afon Taf at Glogue Quarry was also investigated by Dulas. The scheme would require planning permission and abstraction licence for a new intake weir, pipeline, powerhouse and associated equipment, with a grid connection to the nearest three phase network. Hydrological assessment indicates the potential for a 10kW turbine if permission can be obtained to abstract 50% of flow. Unfortunately in this specific case implementing the scheme is likely to be prohibitively expensive in relation to output due to high pipe costs and the relatively fixed costs of design, specification, installation and commissioning. Our model indicates a build cost in the region of 155,000, an estimated annual average of around 44 MWh generated and an average revenue of approximately 700 per annum (including operation and maintenance but excluding landowner payments). For this reason we do not recommend proceeding with this scheme even if 100% funding can be obtained.
Cwm Arian Report REV2 .doc E4354
Page 2
March 2006
CONTENTS
1 Introduction 1.1 The Client 1.2 The Consultant 1.3 Scope of the Study 1.4 Objectives The Site 2.1 Site Location 2.2 Site Description Energy Resources and Potential Technologies 3.1 Introduction 3.2 Solar Energy Potential 3.3 Wind Energy Potential 3.4 Biofuel Energy Potential 3.5 Heat Pumps 3.6 Water Energy Potential 3.7 Energy Efficiency Feasibility of Renewable and Low Energy Technologies Investigation of Large Wind Energy Potential 5.1 Site Identification 5.2 Production Plant Selection 5.3 Visual Impact 5.4 Air Traffic, Radar and Communications Impacts 5.5 Grid Connection 5.6 Access for Plant and Equipment 5.7 Ecological Impact Issues 5.8 Planning Permission 5.9 Capital Cost Estimation 5.10 Operational and Maintenance Costs 5.11 Revenues 5.12 Conclusions on Large Wind Energy 5.13 Recommendations on Large Wind Energy Investigation of Hydro Power at Afon Gafel 6.1 Overview 6.2 Scheme Ownership 6.3 Abstraction Licence 6.4 Catchment Analysis 6.5 Condition of Existing Assets and Refurbishment Options 6.6 Grid Connection 6.7 Environmental 6.8 Sale of Renewable Electricity 6.9 Hydro Generation Potential 6.10 Operation and Maintenance Costs 6.11 Development Cost Estimate 6.12 Conclusions 6.13 Recommendations Investigation of Hydro Power at Glogue Quarry 7.1 Overview 7.2 Land Ownership 7.3 Abstraction Licence 7.4 Catchment Analysis
Page 3
4 5
5 5 5 5 5 6 6 7 8 8 8 10 13 15 18 21 24 25 25 26 27 29 30 30 31 31 32 32 33 34 34 36 36 36 36 37 37 39 39 40 40 40 41 41 42 43 43 43 43 44
March 2006
7.5 System Outline 7.6 Grid Connection 7.7 Environmental 7.8 Sale of Renewable Electricity 7.9 Hydro Generation Potential 7.10 Operation and Maintenance Costs 7.11 Development Cost Estimate 7.12 Conclusions 8 Economic Analysis of Community Hydro Schemes 8.1 Capital and O&M costs 8.2 Whole Life Cost Analysis
44 46 46 46 46 47 47 47 49 49 49
Appendix A Planning Policy for Renewable Energy Appendix A Sale of Renewable Electricity A.1 The Renewable Obligation A.2 Electricity A.3 Renewable Obligation Certificates A.4 Climate Change Levy and Levy Exempt Certificates Appendix B Project Funding B.1 Legal Structure B.2 Corporate Financing B.3 Grant Funding B.4 Community Share Issue B.5 Welsh Energy Agencies Appendix C Details & Flow Analysis of Hydro Schemes C.1 Afon Gafel C.2 Glogue Quarry Appendix D Communications with the Environment Agency Appendix E Typical Arrangement of a Coanda Screen Intake
i v v v v vi vii vii vii vii viii viii ix ix xiv xviii xx
Page 4
March 2006
Introduction
1.1 The Client Cymdeithas Cwm Arian is a community association representing the communities of Glogue, Hermon, Llanfyrnach and surrounding areas. The Association has prepared an Action Plan for the area which emphasises developing sustainable energy resources. Cymdeithas Cwm Arian have secured a Sustainable Development Fund grant to undertake a feasibility study to examine the potential renewable energy resources in the area and arrive at a view of how they may be utilised for the benefit of the community. Dulas Ltds ReSolutions department has been appointed to undertake this work. The study will examine the potential for wind, hydro and biomass schemes at a community level and also consider the general potential for micro renewables within the study area. 1.2 The Consultant Dulas Ltd is a leading renewable energy company with over 20 years experience in the industry at an international level. The company is based around a highly qualified and experienced multi-disciplinary team encompassing all aspects of renewable energy from policy, market stimulation and resource assessment right through to research, design, training, energy consultancy and the implementation of wind, solar, micro hydro and biomass projects. Dulas have specialised in the development of community renewables. Recent projects of direct relevance to Cymdeithas Cwm Arian have included the installation of a 30kW community hydro plant at Talybont-onUsk (following a Dulas feasibility study), and the community financing of two community wind turbines for Bro Ddyfi Community Renewables in Machynlleth. 1.3 Scope of the Study The study will research the Cwm Arian area to identify potential sustainable energy resources, their level of availability and the most suitable methods of using them. Resources that are identified as having usable potential will then be examined in more detail, particularly those which may be implemented at a community level. Potential schemes identified through this methodology will be developed through modelling and analysis to a level where viability, capital and operational costs, annual production, and revenues can be identified. Where resources exist but are likely to only be usable at a micro (or building dedicated) level advice will be given on how these may be used at this scale. Due the multiple and diverse nature of these type of installations individual applications will be outside the scope of the study. 1.4 Objectives The site appraisal and analysis work will enable first stage financial modelling of identified potential schemes to be undertaken to produce detailed guidance for Cymdeithas Cwm Arian on which schemes show the most viability for pursuance to an installation phase. The final report (this document) will provide suitable supporting evidence for the association to pursue financing for delivery of schemes and will in addition provide guidance on how such finance may be sought.
Page 5
March 2006
It is hoped that the advice on micro renewables will be of use to those wishing to pursue small localised installations in the area.
The Site
2.1 Site Location The site study area lies in the area SN190290 SN240335 (detailed in Figure 1 below), and is centred on the villages of Glogue, Hermon and Llanfyrnach in Pembrokeshire, South West Wales. Discussions with Cymdeithas Cwm Arian have determined that whilst this area will form the basis of the study, the area may be extended should renewable power schemes present opportunities in the immediate locale.
Figure 1 - Study area and surrounds.
Page 6
March 2006
2.2 Site Description The area consists generally of hilly agricultural land ranging in height from 100m a.s.l. to 263m a.s.l. with some areas of higher ground north of the area boundary. The area has small areas of forestry cover and is adjacent to the Pembrokeshire Coast national park to the west. The area has a history of silver and lead mining and this is evident in several abandoned quarries and mines of various sizes. A number of water courses of various sizes are evident within the site and information from the community indicates that a number of these have had hydro schemes associated with them. Some parts of these schemes still exist in various states of repair, with a non-operational scheme in apparent reasonable repair located at Pont-y-Gafel. The Dyffryn Brodyn wind farm, consisting of 11 500kW turbines is located to the south of the site with the grid connection transformer being located in Llanfyrnach.
Page 7
March 2006
3
3.1
Energy Resources and Potential Technologies

Introduction
This section will consider the potential of sustainable energy technologies under the following categories: Solar Wind Biomass Heat Pumps Combined Heat and Power (CHP) District Heating Water Energy Efficiency
Each section will examine the availability of a resource on site or in the locale from standard published data and research, provide a discussion of the current or near future technologies and methodologies for utilisation, and go on to examine how these may be applied in and around Cwm Arian. Technologies identified as having significant potential will be subsequently examined in more detail. 3.2 Solar Energy Potential
The site is considered to be largely open and therefore solar irradiance (direct and diffused) will reach the ground relatively uninhibited. There may be localised issues in respect to shading by trees or the sheltering of buildings close to hillsides, but this is considered minimal in the overall aspect of the area. MeteoNorm data has been used to predict the solar resources at the site. This indicates that the average annual sunshine that may be expected is 1,537 hours, with a total average radiation of 1039 kWh/m2 per annum on a horizontal surface, and 1,250kWh/m2 per annum on a south facing surface inclined at 45 from the horizontal. The daily mean solar irradiance for the Cwm Arian area is summarised in Figure 2 below.
Month Monthly Mean (kWh/m2) Horizontal Monthly Mean (kWh/m2) 45 Tilted Plane Monthly Mean (kWh/m2) Vertical Plane
January February March April May June July August September October November December
21 37 77 119 157 160 157 129 90 52 25 17
43 66 111 138 159 153 154 140 113 87 50 38
44 64 94 96 96 87 91 92 86 80 50 40
Figure 2 - Monthly mean solar irradiance
Page 8
March 2006
There are a variety of technologies and methods for making use of this energy resource, these are outlined below.
Roof Integrated PV Cells Solar photovoltaic technology uses the properties of appropriately treated silicon wafers to produce electricity when exposed to sunlight. Arrays of these silicon cells mounted on the roof or facades of buildings can be used to generate enough power to offset, or even meet, the electricity demands of a building. On a smaller scale they can be used to generate small amounts of power for localised plant. In addition to power generation they can provide an attractive and interesting high tech finish to a building.
Wall Cladding PV Cells Solar photovoltaic wall or building cladding utilises the same technology as roof-integrated/mounted PV. However, the panels are designed to be mounted to the buildings faade as a weather-tight surface finish. They can provide an attractive finish (now being developed in different colours) and contribute to meeting building electricity demands.
Solar Thermal Solar thermal technology uses sunlight falling on flat plate collectors or evacuated tubes to generate heat that can be used to produce domestic hot water, space heating and even cooling. Although often considered inferior to solar PV, it actually produces energy for a greater proportion of the year, and is substantially more efficient. Solar thermal collector arrays can be mounted to the roofs of buildings or as freestanding ground mounted arrays.
Passive Solar and Daylight Maximisation Passive solar utilises building design and construction methods such as building thermal mass, solar walls, and solar spaces. This reduces both the heat loss during the winter and the internal heat gain during the summer, leading to a reduced heating and cooling load. By transferring heat from the solar spaces to either the building mass or ventilation system, energy requirements for heating may also be decreased.
Page 9
March 2006
Maximising Natural Light Maximising the amount of day light entering a building by increasing window or roof light area reduces the artificial lighting requirements, and therefore reduces building running costs. Where window area maximisation is not practical, methods such as light pipes may be used. Natural lighting not only reduces artificial lighting but makes for a more pleasant environment.
Figure 3 - Solar technologies explained
Of the solar systems described above roof-mounted solar PV, solar thermal, passive solar and daylight maximising could be made use of on buildings in the study area on a small scale. Each building would require to be assessed individually with passive solar and daylight maximising being more relevant in the case of new build or major refurbishment. Solar PV and solar thermal may be retro-fitted or fitted at time of build with relative ease and minimal disruption. The roof integrated PV cells and the solar thermal collector system would be particularly appropriate for installation on the residential buildings with an orientation between south-east and south-west, although installations on any building roof can usually be practically achieved. As outlined above, the electricity generated by the PV cells would usually be used locally to offset power consumption in individual buildings. Unused electricity may also be exported to the grid under a variety of agreements with suppliers and green energy purchasers. The heat output from the solar thermal collectors could be used to provide space heating needs and standard systems to perform this function are readily available on the market. However, a more beneficial and efficient application of this technology would be to use the system to provide domestic hot water for the residential buildings. Typical well designed solar thermal systems can offset in the region of 50% of the energy used to provide domestic hot water. 3.3 Wind Energy Potential
The site varies in height to a maximum of around 260m above sea level. Using Noabl Windspeed software, a prediction of the average wind speeds for the site, as shown in Figure 4 below, have been made. 7.4 7.2 6.8 7.5 7.5 7.1 7.7 7.5 7.1
Figure 4 Site annual mean wind speed
The highlighted figure is the centre of the site and the surrounding figures are the averages for the 1000m squares surrounding the centre site square. The site wind direction is mainly south-west throughout the year and is assigned terrain category II (defined as being farm land with boundary hedges, occasional small farm structures, houses or trees). Potential methods that may be employed to utilise this resource at the site are discussed below:
Page 10
March 2006
Large Onshore Wind Turbines Medium to large scale horizontal axis wind turbines are commonly used for the generation of electricity onshore. The generated electricity is delivered to the grid or to a local site via electric cabling. Onshore wind turbines are usually installed at high elevations or open areas to maximise wind speed, decrease wind turbulence, and increase the electricity generated.
Small Scale Wind Turbines Small wind turbines can be mounted on or close to buildings to generate electricity, either for localised applications or to feed into the wider site electricity network. New types of turbine are also in development that utilise the updraft created by taller buildings (ducted wind turbines), or specifically designed to have low vibration operation for use on domestic structures.
Figure 5 - Wind technologies explained
Both large scale and small scale wind may be considered for the site. Figure 6 below indicates the average wind speeds over the year in relation to the operating range of a typical wind turbine (red shading large turbines; yellow small turbines; orange large/small overlap area).
Figure 6 - Wind speed variation across the year

Large scale turbines (>300kW) could make a significant contribution to the community in terms of revenue and as such these are investigated further in a dedicated section to this report with respect to a community wind scheme. The small scale building mounted systems could also be installed by owners on individual buildings in the Cwm Arian area. Although this would be unlikely to provide a community scheme it would contribute to improving overall sustainability in the area. A small turbine of the type envisaged may contribute some 4000kWh per annum at a peak output of 1.5kW, dependant on wind conditions. This would offset electricity consumption in the host building, and surplus generation may be exported to the grid under similar export agreements to that of small scale PV generation.
Page 12
March 2006
3.4
Biofuel Energy Potential
Biofuel is increasingly being recognised as a highly effective carbon neutral heat source. As such there are significant moves for wood producers and processors to dry and sell their byproducts as opposed to the current disposal methods. Interest is also growing in the recycling of bio-oils for fuel purposes. There is little in the way of long term sustainable bio-fuels available on site. However, there is scope for the importation of biomass fuels from further a field, and there is at least one biofuel supplier in the area supplying wood pellets. There is also the possibility of importing agricultural by-products such as straw or processed animal wastes. A variety of technologies exist to make use of bio-fuels at large and small scales, the scale usually being determined by the nature of the buildings being supplied, the types of fuel being used and the economies of differing system sizes and quantities.
Wood Chip or Wood Pellet Fired Boiler Biomass heating uses specialised boilers to burn natural fuels such as wood chips or wood pellets to generate heat. This technology can be applied on either a local scale or as part of the central plant for a district heating network. Since the fuel used is sustainable it is a carbon neutral fuel and allows the user exemptions from the Climate Change Levy.
Biofuel Fired Boiler Biofuel heating uses specialised boilers to burn natural fuels such as bio oils to generate heat and in certain cases electricity as well. Biofuel can be produced from used cooking oil and fats or purpose produced bio-oils. Boilers may be a direct replacement for more conventional boilers.
Biomass Fired Boiler Biomass heating uses specialised boilers to burn natural fuels such as processed dung or chicken litter to generate heat. This technology can be applied on either a local scale or as part of the central plant for a district heating network. Since the fuel used is sustainable it is a carbon neutral fuel and allows the user exemptions from the Climate Change Levy.
Page 13
March 2006
Energy from Waste Boiler An incinerator can be used to generate heat (and electricity) from burning refuse. This technology can be applied as central plant for a district heating network. There are issues surrounding this technology in respect of the hazardous classification of its fuel, and public perception of the process.
Figure 7 - Bio-fuel technologies explained
The technology for burning wood fuels at a domestic level has advanced significantly in the last 5 years, and off the shelf automatic wood fuel boilers are available which are both efficient and reliable. There are, however, the issues of the logistics and consequential traffic movements associated with the use of bio-fuels and careful consideration should be given to the environmental and energy impact of transportation and processing of such fuels, as this can potentially negate the environmental benefits if not properly appreciated. High density wood fuels such as wood pellets are also now becoming available in the UK, but these are often imported and consume a large amount of energy to produce. However some manufacturers increase replanting regimes to offset carbon emissions due to manufacture and transport. There would be potential for numerous small domestic biomass boiler installations in Cwm Arian with opportunities arising as and when domestic boilers come up for replacement. The lack of larger heat loads in the area generally will negate larger scale installations; this is discussed further under the heading of district heating. A benefit the Communities in the Cwm Arian area may gain from biofuels would be the production of biofuel crops. Such crops may be willow, miscanthus grasses or oil-rich seed crops. The study has briefly researched potential outlets for such crops. Historically, there has been something of a chicken and egg situation in regard to the development supply and demand for energy crops. The establishment costs of energy crops are relatively high (in the region of 1800 per hectare for Miscanthus) and in contrast to England and Scotland, Welsh farmers have not had access to a large scale grant scheme. Whilst there are a number of proposals for projects involving longterm biofuel supply arrangements there is currently no stable market for energy crops in Wales. A farmers co-operative, the Pembrokeshire Bioenergy Group was established in 2004 with the intention of producing, marketing and supplying biofuels in South and West Wales. The group established trial plots of willow, miscanthus and reed canary grass and commissioned a feasibility study which suggested that miscanthus had particular potential in Pembrokeshire. The co-operative has recently secured funding from sources including the DEFRA Bioenergy Infrastructure capital grants scheme which has enabled the appointment of a project officer and grant funding sufficient to enable the establishment of 100 hectares of miscanthus. Pembrokeshire Bioenergy are discussing supply arrangements with a number of bodies including the developers of the Bluestone holiday village near Narbeth who are intending to specify a biomass CHP plant with a heat load in the region of 2MWth.
The new PB project officer Matt Hutchinson will be able to provide further information shortly. In the mean time Paul Ratcliffe, the chairman of the steering group is the main point of contact. Paul Ratcliffe New House Farm Caernston Bridge Narbeth Pembrokeshire 01834 891224 pwratcliffe@talk21.com Other good sources of information include the Wales Biomass Centre, who occasionally host Energy Crop Information days, and the Institute for Grassland and Environmental Research and Cardiff University who are engaged in ongoing energy crop field trials and a project to support the development of Willow as a fuel crop. Wales Biomass Centre Llysdinam Field Centre Newbridge-on-Wye Llandrindod Wells Powys LD1 6NB www.walesbiomass.org IGER Plas Gogerddan Aberystwyth Ceredigion SY23 3EB Tel: 01970 823000 www.iger.bbsrc.ac.uk/ 3.5 Heat Pumps
The Cwm Arian area will have potential for the use of heat pumps, as these rely on extracting heat from the ground, the air, or bodies of water. Ground temperatures below approximately 1 metre from the surface vary little during the year and make a good source of low grade heat for this technology.
Heat Pumps Heat pumps upgrade low-grade heat to higher and more usable temperatures for space and water heating. Low grade heat may be extracted from the ground by circulating cooled water in horizontal ground loops or vertical boreholes (ground-source). The heat pump unit uses an electrically powered refrigeration cycle to extract the low temperature heat to higher temperature heat for use in the building heating systems.
Page 15
March 2006
This technology can also be used to extract heat from the atmosphere (air-source). In this scenario the buried ground loop is replaced with an external evaporator unit. These systems are able to operate at low temperatures, enabling heat to be extracted even on cold winter days.
A further heat extraction medium for heat pumps is from bodies of water such as ponds, lakes etc. Here circulation loops are laid in the water. All heat pumps have the potential to be reversed and used as building cooling systems allowing the extraction medium to be used as a heat store rather than extract alone. Utilising systems like this will depend on the equipment selected and the heating/cooling services installed in the building.
Figure 8 - Heat pump technology explained
Heat pumps are a widely used technology in mainland Europe and the USA, and are just starting to become recognised in the UK. The site may be suitable for ground source heat pumps, but care should be taken in the nature of the ground, as made ground with significant air voids is detrimental to heat recovery from the ground. However, water voids in the ground have the opposite effect and increase performance. New build sites with extensive land reclamation are also highly suitable as ground loop networks are easily installed at the time of groundwork. Further issues in using ground source heat pumps may be the mine workings, as sinking boreholes for heat pumps through these large voids would be problematic. However this may be overcome by using multiple short borehole systems if the mines are deep enough. Ground source heat pumps could be used at Cwm Arian on a localised scale, which is dedicated to individual or small groups of dwellings. Air source heat pumps are likely be less effective in Wales due to the lower air temperatures during the heating season, but while this would have an impact on efficiency it would not negate them totally. Air-source heat pumps also have a requirement for external evaporator units which may be restrictive from the aspect of external space constraints and aesthetic considerations if mounted to the external facades of buildings. The primary consideration when selecting the use of heat pumps will be the type of fuel that is displaced. If the displaced fuel is coal, oil or LPG, then the economics of replacing with a heat pump system (electrically powered) will be attractive. Replacing a natural gas fired system with a heat pump will prove economically unattractive due to the price of gas. In terms of carbon emissions the replacement of any of these fuel types by heat pumps would be advantageous, although more marginal with the gaseous fuels. A systems carbon footprint could be reduced further by purchasing electricity from renewable energy sources.
3.5.1
Combined Heat and Power (CHP)
Combined heat and power is a technology that may be implemented in any area where there is a suitable fuel source, a demand for heat and a demand for electricity. Large scale systems would require a central generation point for the site that would feed into a district heating scheme and either export electricity to the national grid or convey via private wires to the development. Large scale schemes tend to use engines or turbines fuelled by gas or oil, although other gaseous fuels are used such as methane from bio-digestion or landfill gas extraction. A more recent development in the CHP market is the introduction of micro CHP units for domestic installations. These operate on Stirling engines and as such are quiet and highly efficient. Small scale domestic systems can supply the heat requirements of a building and in addition contribute to the electrical requirements of the property.
Combined Heat and Power (CHP) CHP uses the principle of generating electricity on site and may use a variety of engines or turbines. The key principle is to capture and use the heat generated in this process to maximise the energy content of the fuel (this heat would normally be lost in central generation). This combination of heat and electricity leads to lower electricity and heat prices, in addition to offsetting carbon emissions from centralised electricity generation. Large scale CHP installations usually form part of a large consumers plant or are part of a district heating scheme.
Micro CHP replaces the installation of a gas boiler in a domestic situation, but unlike the boiler, produces heat and electricity directly to the building. Highly efficient units are now on the market, which occupy the space of a typical kitchen unit. These type of units can supply heating, hot water and around 1.3kW to the domestic electricity supply.
Figure 9 - CHP technology explained
Assessment of the study site would suggest that a CHP installation with heat recovery for use in a district heating network has limited potential, primarily due to the lack of larger, stable heat and electricity loads. Whilst domestic properties may be connected to such a scheme the highly variable nature of the loads tends to make for inefficient running of such a scheme which will reduce the economic viability of installation. Micro CHP units would make good drop in replacements to heating systems requiring replacement plant or system refurbishment, where a natural gas supply is available. By generating heat and electricity locally significant savings in CO2 emissions are possible, simply by negating central electricity generating inefficiencies and transmission losses.
3.5.2
District Heating
District heating has the ability to integrate several of the technologies discussed previously that operate on a centralised basis, hence maximising the sustainable element of the energy supply to the site. DH schemes benefit from being able to be extended over a number of phases, provided initial design work is properly undertaken. The use of district heating also future proofs the heating infrastructure as only the central plant requires to be replaced as new technology is developed, district heating pipe is generally considered to have a life of 30+ years.
District heating (DH) District heating uses site-centralised heat generation and a network of optimally sized pipes to distribute this heat to the end users. The technology has become widespread in Europe over recent years due to its energy-efficient nature and the ability to upgrade the heat generation plant with little impact. District heating is now becoming more accepted in the UK, and with modern preinsulated pipework end consumers can be remote from the generation site. Consumers benefit from reduced maintenance costs and the benefit of only buying the heat they require and not the fuel to generate it.
Figure 10 - District heating technology explained
The potential for utilising district heating in Cwm Arian appears to have limited potential, primarily due to the lack of larger, stable heat loads and the distributed nature of residential buildings. The site would require the installation of district heating pipework, linking a network of buildings and dwellings and without a high density of heat loads the economics of the pipework installation become unviable. 3.6 Water Energy Potential
As previously mentioned there are a number of water courses in the site study area that may have potential for use as hydro schemes. There is also an existing scheme that may have potential for refurbishment back to working order. This is also backed up by the expected monthly average precipitation chart as detailed in Figure 11 below, showing high levels of annual precipitation.
Page 18
March 2006

120
100
80 Precipitation (mm)
60
40
20
0 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Figure 11 - Monthly precipitation chart for Cwm Arian
The water technologies that are considered to be relevant to the proposed Cwm Arian are outlined below.
Micro Hydro Power Micro hydropower extracts the energy stored in a head of water to generate electricity. Most schemes look for the potential in small rivers or streams where there is a significant fall in the water course over a distance that is economical to install pipework (penstock). There is also the potential for collecting rainwater from tall buildings to run micro turbines at ground level.
Grey Water & Rainwater Harvesting Grey water collection involves the recycling of water from wash basins, sinks, etc. to flush toilets. Rainwater harvesting usually involves the collection of water from the roofs of buildings, via the gutter, into a water tank. The rainwater can be used for a variety of purposes, including electricity generation, toilet flushing, sprinklers, etc.
Figure 12 - Water technologies explained
Initial investigations have shown that small hydro power is considered to have potential in the area and as such a more in depth study has been carried out which is detailed later in the study.
There is also the potential for using rainwater on a small localised scale for as a greywater resource for non-critical applications. Roof drainage systems could be connected into an underwater collection tank which can then be used to serve one or more buildings. Mains delivered, processed water contains embodied energy due to the treatment and pumping processes. Reducing the amount of water consumed in a building especially in applications that do not require processed water therefore reduces the global energy and carbon impact of a building.
Page 20
March 2006
3.7
Energy Efficiency
Of high importance in the Cwm Arian area should be the objective of reducing the amount of energy consumed by the buildings. It is far more effective to reduce energy consumption than to offset high energy consumption with renewable technologies. The following sections provide a brief introduction to some of the low energy technologies that may be considered during any refurbishment work or by property owners wishing to reduce energy consumption. 3.7.1 Building fabric
The specification of the building fabric is extremely important in terms of reducing the heat loss from a building and maintaining occupant comfort. In principal, the lower the U-Value of a building material, the lower the heat loss will be through that part of the building. A detailed investigation into the components of the building fabric is required at the design stage to ensure that the U-Values of the proposed construction will meet or beat the standards set in the Building Regulations. Low U-Values can be obtained through the use of thermal blocks and sufficient quantities of thermal insulation. Other building fabric techniques that can improve energy efficiency and occupant comfort include the use of a thermal mass to minimise the effects of extreme external conditions on the internal environment. 3.7.2 Glazing Glazed areas allow natural light into a space which can reduce the energy consumed by artificial lighting. Glazed areas also offer the potential for ventilation and may eliminate or reduce the energy consumption associated with mechanical ventilation or cooling systems. However, glazing can result in excessive heat loss in winter and heat gain in summer. To avoid this scenario the glazing must be carefully specified, with due consideration given to features such as solar spaces to provide a thermal layer between the external and internal environment. Consideration may also be given to technologies such as photosensitive coatings, which allow a regulated amount of sunlight through the glazing.
3.7.3
Doors
To prevent unnecessary heat loss, external doors should be well insulated and fitted with a close fitting seal and self-closing mechanisms. Glazed areas should be of an equivalent standard to window glazing with the property. Door furniture such as letterboxes should be close fitting and have auto closure and draft exclusion devices fitted.
Page 21
March 2006
3.7.4
Heating The consideration of efficient heating systems is one of the main areas where significant energy savings can be made. Firstly, consideration should be given to how renewable and low energy sources such as solar thermal, ground source heat pumps, CHP and district heating / cooling may make a contribution to the heating of the buildings. In addition, high efficiency heat recovery boilers should be considered, e.g. boilers with economisers or with condensing heat exchange units fitted. Furthermore, heating pumps with variable speed drives can be fitted to follow the heat demand and significantly reduce the pumping power.
Outwith the heat plant, there is also scope for energyefficient heating. Underfloor heating is one of the most efficient means of heating a space due to the low temperatures required. Energy savings can also be made with traditional radiator circuits through the generous sizing of the radiators. In both case it is beneficial to install thermostatic valves to ensure that the output of the heat emitters can be matched to the local requirements.
3.7.5
Ventilation The use of natural ventilation can avoid the need for mechanical systems and hence will reduce the energy requirements. Natural ventilation systems use carefully sized openings in the building fabric to provide a controlled level of natural supply and exhaust of air.
If it is deemed that a mechanical system is required, then there are still significant energy savings to be made. The first step is to ensure that the system is not oversized as this will lead to unnecessary energy use. It is also worthwhile allocating sufficient space to allow for generously sized ductwork as this will permit lower airflow velocities and hence use lower fan power. Variable speed drives should be fitted to the fans in the system wherever possible to allow the speed of the fans to be controlled to meet the required duty, thus eliminating unnecessary energy use. Heat recovery ventilation systems should also be considered as a priority.
Page 22
March 2006
3.7.6
Hot and cold water
The production of hot water can often be linked to solar thermal schemes. In addition, it is important to consider the storage of hot water. If a storage tank or calorifier is to be used, it should be fitted with a factory applied insulation layer, usually with a minimum thickness of 50mm. The use of un-vented hot water storage systems provides mains pressure hot water and can remove the need for additional electric power showers. It is also possible in most circumstances to avoid the storage of hot water and use an instantaneous solution via a plate heat exchanger. This has many advantages, namely there is no heat loss associated with the storage of hot water.
3.7.7
Pipe insulation
All heating and hot water pipework should be insulated with good quality insulation with a thickness suitable for the pipe diameter in areas where heat loss is likely to occur. This will help to ensure that the heating and cooling plant delivers most of the energy that it produces.
3.7.8
Lighting Internal and external lighting accounts for a significant proportion of the energy used in buildings. High efficiency lamps such as high frequency compact fluorescent and highpressure sodium should be specified and installed wherever possible. LED cluster lamps are now also available which are very low energy consuming, and are manufactured as a direct replacement for more traditional luminaries.
Lighting controls are also extremely important in lighting systems. Photocell control can be used both externally and internally to dim lights according to the daylight available, thus saving energy. In combination with time switches, this control strategy helps to ensure that the lights only operate when required. Other methods of control include motion detectors. These are particularly suitable in spaces that are not used frequently.
Page 23
March 2006
Feasibility of Renewable and Low Energy Technologies
The technologies discussed in the previous sections have been assessed by the ReSolutions team at Dulas and are summarised in the table below (Figure 13) as the potential for implementation in Cwm Arian.
Solar Thermal
Solar PV
Wind turbine
Biomass
Heat Pumps
CHP
District heating
Hydro Power
Energy Efficiency
Large Scale Small Scale
- Feasible
- Unfeasible
- Marginal
Figure 13 - Summary table of technologies
The implementation of the feasible technologies indicated above could have a significant impact on the energy consumption, the sustainability and the carbon footprint of the area if implemented at a suitable level. Large scale wind and small scale hydro show potential and these have been progressed to a more in depth level of detail to assess likely community projects. Where technologies are shown as marginal, the current status of the technology, or the current capital cost, make the benefits marginal against the potential cost of installation, or also may be impacted by the location of the site. Technologies shown as unfeasible are considered as inappropriate for further consideration at the site.
Page 24
March 2006
Investigation of Large Wind Energy Potential
The initial stage of this study has identified potential for wind power from large turbines that could be owned by, and deliver financial benefit to, the community. This part of the report will investigate this possibility further by scoping for and assessing realistic sites to exploit the wind resource. The best site, if found, will be analysed from the perspective of visual and noise impacts (these being the main barriers to such a development). Should suitable installation solutions be found these will be analysed further in respect of expected development, capital construction and operational costs. Expected revenues from generation will be modelled using generic wind data which will enable whole life cost analysis to be undertaken. 5.1 Site Identification Initial site identification was undertaken via a desk based study scoping the area for suitable sites for electricity generation using large scale wind turbines. Two sites were initially identified these being at the cross roads above Rhos-y-llyn at grid reference 239 320, and along the ridge above Pantygwyddel at grid reference 230 300, see Figure 14 below.
Figure 14 - Wind turbine locations
The preliminary investigations were backed up by a site visit to Cwm Arian and from this it was decided that the more preferable site, in terms of aspect and proximity of buildings, was the one located above Pantygwyddel at grid reference 230 300. All further modelling and investigation work has been performed in relation to this site.
Page 25
March 2006
5.2 Production Plant Selection The initial selection of the type of plant to use in the modelling work has been done on the basis of a noise and visual impact assessment. By using Windfarmer software and GIS (Geographical Information Systems) information a detailed model can be built up to assess what areas and buildings may see an impact in terms of noise or line of sight. Dulas standard methodology for this type of study is to investigate the maximum turbine capacity for a site in terms of the aforementioned parameters. In this case of the Cwm Arian site this is determined to 2 turbines of 1.2MW capacity, which will provide borderline noise impacts to two properties. However if the owners were to have a financial benefit from the scheme this would provide an opportunity to negotiate out of the standard guidelines fro noise impact. The zones of noise impact for the 2 x 1.2MW configuration are shown below in Figure 15.
Figure 15 - Zones of noise impact in dBLA90
All configurations of turbines below this capacity will be considered as having an equivalent or reduced impact in terms of noise and visual. The configurations of plant to be considered further will be 2 x 330kW machines, 2 x 500kW machines, 2 x 800kW machines and 2 x 1200kW machines. An idea of the sizes of such plant can be gained from the illustration in Figure 16 below, as well as an indication of the level of electricity output.
Page 26
March 2006
Figure 16 - Wind turbine indicative sizes
5.3 Visual Impact Using Windfarmer software and the GIS information which provides topographical information it is possible to assess the field of visual impact on the surrounding area. Figure 17 below shows the zones where any installed turbines may be seen from, based on the 1.2MW machines, known as a Zone of Visual Impact (ZVI). Smaller machines will have shorter towers and a smaller blade diameter and hence will have less of a visual impact than the largest machines modelled. The ZVI generated is considered by Dulas experts to be favourable for the site, especially as there is little impact to the National Park. Indicative sizes for turbines are shown in fig 16 above however it should be noted that there is some variance across manufacturers and categories of machine.To gain an appreciation of the impact of a scheme utilising smaller turbines a ZVI has also been generated for a scheme consisting of 2 x 70m (to tip) turbines. This is shown in Figure 18.
Page 27
March 2006
Figure 17 - Visual impact of 1.2MW turbines to surrounding area
Page 28
March 2006
Figure 18 - Visual impact of 70m (to tip) turbines to surrounding area
5.4 Air Traffic, Radar and Communications Impacts An important aspect of developing large turbine installations is the impact that they can have on air traffic movements and associated control systems, radar installations for air traffic control and weather monitoring, and communications systems. Dulas GIS systems allow the impacts of all these parameters to be mapped to the local area to give an indication of potential problems. This is shown in Figure 19 below.
Page 29
March 2006
Figure 19 - Radar, communications and buffer zone interactions
The mapping exercise shows that the main areas of concern would be the proximity to the rebroadcast link passing to the south of the site, but this should be acceptable although consultation would be required with the operators should any project proceed. The two other main areas of interest are the weather radar and Aberporth air base buffer zones. The site is located in the wider range buffer zones which do not automatically exclude development, and additionally the existing windfarm is also contained in these zones. 5.5 Grid Connection It is known that the Dyffryn Brodyn windfarm connects to the grid at a substation in Llanfrynach. There should be potential to connect to the grid for community wind power scheme at this point with the proximity to the potential site helping to minimise the capital cost of connection. Should a scheme proceed at the site a full investigation and negotiation with the network operator will be required. 5.6 Access for Plant and Equipment A provisional assessment of transportation routes to the site has indicated that there is a potential access route from the A40 via the B4298 to Meidrim and from then on to the site via the Blaenwaun road. Access has been achieved to the existing wind farm in the area and there are relatively few access issues beyond this to the Cwm Arian site, aside from a few overhead cable and over-swing turning issues, but these are unlikely to be insurmountable.
Page 30
March 2006
5.7 Ecological Impact Issues The impact of large turbines on the ecology of the surrounding area is relatively benign. There are certainly issues to be examined during the preparation of an Environmental Statement (see section 5.13). However the main impacts are during construction and installation when foundations must be dug and concreted; access roads and crane standings must also be built. The impact of these operations should always be assessed, and mitigated, as with any construction works. On completion of the construction phase, foundations are overfilled and made good allowing uninterrupted use of the land right up to the foot of the turbine tower. Access roads and crane standings tend to see a degree of vegetation overgrow reducing their visibility. 5.8 Planning Permission The likelihood of obtaining planning consent constitutes is a critical factor in site selection for commercial wind developers, and the investment required to bring a site to planning application is substantial. In theory developments below a 5MW threshold do not have to fulfil the full Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) required of larger projects. In reality the expectations of planning authorities mean that a similar level of detail is required. For this reason the costs of bringing a wind energy development to planning are relatively constant between the 600kW to 2.4MW thresholds considered. The situation regarding planning permission for wind generation has been fundamentally altered by the release of Technical Advice Note 8 (TAN 8) renewable energy planning policy for Wales. TAN 8 identifies seven separate areas (Strategic Search Areas), capable of accommodating large scale (>25 MW) wind farms. TAN8 further instructs local planning authorities to, refine if necessary the SSAs and provide more detailed criteria based guidance on wind energy development in these areas. Development of wind energy schemes outside of the SSAs are expected to constitute no more than 5MW 'community' schemes. Local planning authorities will have to incorporate national policy within local development plans, and can take the opportunity to specify the size and type of development considered acceptable. The development of local planning policy is a longwinded process. Pembrokeshire County Council and Pembrokeshire National Park Authority are in the final stages of adopting a Joint Unitary Development Plan (JUDP) which has been in process since 2002. They will need to review this policy, once adopted, to comply with recent national guidance including TAN 8 and changes to the wider planning framework. The latest JUDP iteration includes reference to TAN8 and its requirements, however there is no mention of the criteria expected for community wind development beyond those set out in JUDP Policy 60 Wind Energy Development. The modified JUDP does set out the intention of both authorities to produce Supplementary Planning Guidance relating to renewable energy and wind energy in particular.
5.6.1Supplementary Planning Guidance on sustainable design is being prepared by both Authorities and will deal with incorporating renewable energy, energy conservation and energy efficiency into building construction and design. 5.6.7 Specific sites for wind energy developments are not identified in the JUDP. Both local planning authorities will use LANDMAP to assess the potential of different landscapes to accommodate wind energy developments. This will be published as SPG.
The final plan is expected to be adopted in summer 2006.

Some authorities have chosen to specify size limits for acceptable community wind schemes. A restriction to 70m to tip, as specified by Powys, Denbigshire and Conwy, would effectively limit developments to second hand turbines up to 1MW (manufacturers are currently concentrating on meeting demand for machines of over 1.3MW). The planning policy situation is outlined in greater depth within Appendix A. 5.9 Capital Cost Estimation Based on Dulas extensive experience in the wind industry, best estimates have been made on the capital installation costs for each scheme. The scheme has been based on the purchase of second hand machines, as this provides a lower capital cost option and also because smaller machines are difficult to purchase new since manufacturers tend to concentrate on the larger end of the market. The capital cost for each of the schemes is detailed below in Figure 20.
Project Name
Cwm Arian
Cwm Arian
Cwm Arian
Cwm Arian
Country/Region Technology Plant capacity (MW,electricity) Plant capacity (MW,heat) Market type
Potential financiers
Wales Wind 0.66 0

Equity, loan
Wales Wind 1 0
Equity, loan
Wales Wind 1.6 0

Equity, loan
Wales Wind 2.4 0

Equity, loan
Comments
Financial Information
Conversion Technology Wind turbine Wind turbine Wind turbine Wind turbine
Conversion Plant Subsidy A (One off payment) Conversion Plant Subsidy B (One off payment) Conversion Plant Subsidy C (For n years) Conversion Plant Subsidy D (For n Years) Heat Price Electricity Price Interest Rate Electricity Price Post NFFO Capital Costs of Construction Land Cost Planning Cost Plant and Equipment Cost Building Cost Financial Service Cost Legal Cost Insurance Cost Project Management Other Project Start-up Costs Total Capital Cost of Construction
0.061 5.0% 0.065
0.061 5.0% 0.065
0.061 5.0% 0.065
0.061 5.0% 0.065
40000 200000 148400 4950 4500 4950 25000 66000
40000 300000 204600 7500 4500 5222 25000 66000
40000 400000 287600 12000 4500 7006 25000 66000
40000 600000 386600 18000 4500 9000 25000 66000
493,800.00
652,822.00
842,106.00
1,149,100.00
Figure 20 - Capital installation costs of wind power schemes
5.10 Operational and Maintenance Costs Operation costs have been assessed on the basis of costs to maintain the plant based on an O&M contract with a turbine manufacturer. Alternatively a link up contract with service providers to existing wind farms in the area may be sought.
Page 32
March 2006

Plant Life Labour Costs Maintenance and Consumables Insurance land rental Business Rates Overheads Refurbishment 15 0 15900 5120 2,204 2900 9475 15 0 23850 5375 3,340 3190 9475 15 0 35775 5644 5,678 3509 9475 15 0 53663 5926 8,015 3860 9475
Total O&M costs
35598.74
45230.23
60080.82
80939.26
Figure 21 - Operation & maintenance costs of wind power schemes
5.11 Revenues The crucial aspect of any of the schemes is the amount of revenues that will generated. This is determined by assessing the production level of the plant over the course of a year based on windspeed data. This has been performed in Dulas in house modelling software and has estimated production as detailed below in Figure 22.
Scheme Description
Estimated Annual Production (kWh)
Plant Capacity Factor (%)
2 x 330 kW Turbines 2 x 500 kW Turbines 2 x 800 kW Turbines 2 x 1200 kW Turbines
1,445,400 2,190,000 3,723,000 5,256,000
25 25 25 25
Figure 22 - Annual scheme electricity production of wind power schemes
The rate paid for electricity from wind generation is currently calculated at 6.13 p/kWh, this is inclusive of all Renewable Obligation Ceritificates (ROCs) and Climate Change Levy Exemption Certificates (LECs). Hence this translates into a revenue stream for each scheme as detailed in Figure 23 below. Using this information the whole life cost of each scheme has been modelled with the following parameters: o o o o o o o o o o Figures are based on 100% loan financing of the scheme Loan period is assumed as 7 years Interest rate is assumed at 5% Depreciable Capital has been allowed against major plant Capital allowance rate of 25% has been allowed Life expectancy of the scheme is assumed at 15 years Companies tax is assumed at 20% No allowance has been made for capital grants No allowance has been made for a community buy-in scheme Electricity price is assumed at 6.1p/kWh, a higher price may be achievable.
The payback periods, net present value of the schemes at 15 years (value to the community) and the internal rate of return (IRR) are shown for each of the schemes are also detailed in Figure 23.
Page 33
March 2006
Scheme Revenue Payback (yrs) NPV () IRR (%)
2 x 330 kW Turbines 88,169.40 18.32 - 92,040.00 -
2 x 500 kW Turbines 133,590.00 13.5 36,929.00 6
2 x 800 kW Turbines 227,103.00 8.65 475,048.00 13
2 x 1200 kW Turbines 320,616.00 6.54 944,026.00 18
Figure 23 - Financial figures for the projected schemes
5.12 Conclusions on Large Wind Energy The investigation into a community wind power generation scheme in Cwm Arian has indicates that there is sufficient resource and a potentially viable site in the locale. According to first stage noise and visual impact modelling, the site above Pantygwyddel could technically accommodate 2 x 1.2MW turbines. Assuming that a scheme gains landowner and community support the major constraint to potential development will be the likelihood of obtaining planning consent. The preceding investigations show that for a scheme of 2 x 500kW turbines, the site would show a positive whole life cost over 15 years. This would translate into an income stream to the community once initial payback periods had been completed. The NPV modelling has not included any capital cost offsets such as community share offers or grant funding inputs. Such inputs would decrease payback times and increase the income available to the community. It may also be possible to add a third turbine to the smaller configuration schemes to improve the economic viability. 5.13 Recommendations on Large Wind Energy Our first recommendation is to initiate contact with relevant planning officers. Deatailed discussion may be required before determining which turbine size is appropriate. In light of the feasibility study that has been undertaken, the following issues present potential barriers to the development of the wind farm site: Predicted noise emissions to local properties (dependant on turbine size and specification) Site access for construction and turbine delivery vehicles (dependant on turbine size and specification) Feasibility and network capacity of the grid connection If Cymdeithas Cwm Arian choose to proceed we would recommend the following route to further development of the site is undertaken: 1. A full noise assessment, including background noise monitoring, would need to be carried out to assess whether it is feasible to have turbines of a particular size located on this site. 2. Once turbine selection is more advanced, a transport assessment relating to the viability of transporting the turbines and associated infrastructure and materials to site should be commissioned. 3. The grid connection of the wind farm to the local network should be advanced concurrently with the transport assessment, so that all necessary wayleave agreements
can be identified in advance of a planning submission and so that the identifiable costs of the grid connect can be factored in to the overall project costs, and an assessment of the overall viability of the scheme undertaken. In terms of the next steps to project development, this is likely to entail the following: Obtain costs, and availability of selected turbines (extra considerations concerning warranties and insurance will be necessary if second hand turbines are required) Undertake background noise surveys and predict likely noise levels at nearby residences. Talk to members of the local community, and provide details of the proposal and potential benefits to the local community from an early stage in the project. Commission a full transport assessment Commission a grid connect study Commission an experienced Civils Contractor to work on site design and layout of the turbines, access tracks, anemometry mast, and control facility Undertake environmental assessment requirements, including Landscape and Visual Assessment, Ecological Assessment, Archaeological site walkover and assessment, Noise Assessment, and other assessments (Public Safety and Access, Socio-economic and environmental benefits, Site Selection appraisal, and Avoidance and Mitigation assessment). Collation of above assessments into an Environmental Statement Submission of planning application with Environmental Statements to planning authority It is estimated that a sum of 70,000 should be allowed to cover this stage of the works should the community wish to proceed in developing a project. This does not guarantee that the project will be successfully implemented as obstacles can prevent development, such a rejection of planning consent.
Page 35
March 2006
Investigation of Hydro Power at Afon Gafel
6.1 Overview There is an existing hydro scheme on the Afon Gafel, which has the potential for refurbishment. The scheme has a loose boulder weir, long earth leat, intake header tank and screen, pipeline, powerhouse, turbine, generator and control system. The scheme used to provide power to the nearby farm but has been shut down for several years. A map of the scheme showing the principle elements is shown in Appendix C. Dulas Ltd were asked to assess the refurbishment options for the scheme with regard to the possibility of community ownership.
Figure 24 - Site location and infrastructure of Afon Gafel hydro scheme
6.2 Scheme Ownership After discussions with the current scheme owner, it seems possible that they may want to retain the hydro scheme and refurbish it for their own use. Thus the scheme may not become available for the community. However, the client has requested that Dulas Ltd complete a report on the potential of the scheme in case circumstances change at a later date. 6.3 Abstraction Licence Apparently the scheme has an existing abstraction licence although it was not possible to find any documents after discussions with the current owner of the scheme. It is not therefore possible to assess the exact potential of the scheme as the amount that can be abstracted affects the size and annual energy generation. For the purposes of the report, three abstraction scenarios have been considered to demonstrate the effect of the agreed abstraction upon annual generation and income. These results are presented in section 6.9. Each regime requires an absolute minimum residual of Q95, but any available flow above this minimum residual can be subject to a range of abstraction rates as follows: Up to the ADF, 25% abstraction of excess flow above Q95. abstraction of excess flow above Q95.
Page 36
Above ADF, 50%

March 2006
50% abstraction of excess flow above Q95 at all times. 75% abstraction of excess flow above Q95 at all times.
The first regime is the typical conservative response suggested by the EA during the early stages of a proposal. The second is a regime that could possibly be negotiated after carrying out more studies and discussions. The third regime is possible but less likely to be agreed by the EA as it would mean that they would view the river as low in ecological sensitivity. All abstractions above 20m3 per day need to be measured. The refurbished hydro scheme would abstract up to 11,000 m3 per day, hence the Environment Agency (EA) will insist that some means of abstracted flow measurement is installed. This would probably take the form of a water level sensor and data logger at the main river weir. By using weir notches of known geometry, the water level abstracted to the leat and that which remains in the river can be calculated. The installed costs of a level measurement system and data logger will be of the order of 2000 - 3000. 6.4 Catchment Analysis
6.4.1 Total River Flow The catchment upstream of the existing weir was digitised and assessed to give a total catchment area of 4.96 km2. Rainfall data from Engineering Hydrology by Eric Wilson indicated a gross annual rainfall for the area of 1600mm, with estimated losses due to evaporation and transpiration of 450mm, leaving a net runoff of 1150mm. This catchment was then scaled to the long term flow duration curve for the Afon Hafren, produced from 30 years of 15 minute data collected by the Institute of Hydrology. This gives a predicted flow duration curve for the Afon Gafel catchment which feeds the existing weir. The estimated total flow duration curve for the river is presented in Appendix C. 6.5 Condition of Existing Assets and Refurbishment Options
6.5.1 Weir The weir is simply a collection of loose boulders and debris with water passing through and over the top of the structure. It provides enough of an impediment to the flow to divert water down the leat, however, the respective proportion that is diverted compared to what remains in the river would be impossible to assess. It will change continuously depending upon total river flow and what debris happens to have accumulated in the boulders at that particular time. A large flood could quite conceivably partially or completely wash the weir away. If the scheme is to be refurbished it will be necessary to completely rebuild the weir and provide proper flow control structures in the form of weir notches. These would accurately divide the total river flow between that which remains in the river and that proportion that is diverted into the leat. As there is no bedrock evident, ideally this would take the form of a mass concrete base, with reinforced concrete weir wall, to provide a structure that would survive high flood conditions. This is a significant task; access is very restricted so it would be difficult for a large excavator to reach the weir site. An alternative option is a concrete base with mortared boulder wall. Sealed thin plate notches would need to be set into the wall to provide accurate flow control. Great care needs to be taken when concreting as even small amounts of fresh cement in the water can cause considerable fish kills. Appropriate cofferdams and diversion measures need to be put in place to ensure concrete works are carried out in dry conditions. The work
should also be carried out in low flow conditions during the summer. A permit to work in rivers will be required from the Environment Agency. 6.5.2 Leat A small weir wall would need to be constructed just upstream of the inlet pipe from the river. This would enable correct proportioning of the flow that remains in the river against that abstracted to the leat. A coarse bar screen, not less than 200mm centres should be installed at the entrance to the pipe to prevent large debris entering the leat. Smaller bar spacings will collect debris and block more easily. It is possible that the EA may want to exclude fish from the leat, in which case a reduced aperture screen would be required, although vegetated leats such as this one can also offer valuable spawning habitat. Discussions with the EA will be required. The first spillway should have a raised wall to prevent high flows down the leat during flood conditions. The amount of water entering the leat can be controlled using the existing opening and blocking off the top to create a submerged orifice. This should allow the maximum required flow for the turbine and fish farm plus a small excess. The opening will restrict larger flood flows with the excess flow going back to the river via the spillway. The leat will need digging out and clearing of vegetation in many sections to increase the cross sectional area and increase capacity. It may be necessary to perform an ecological assessment before this work is carried out to check for any protected species. The plastic covered spillway needs to be modified to provide an effective intake screen for the turbine. We would propose a slightly inclined bar screen with 10mm spacing at the edge of the leat. The water would fall through the bar screen into a chamber and large diameter low pressure pipe that would lead to the existing intake chamber. Excess water would pass over the screen washing off accumulated debris and keeping the screen clean under most circumstances. This excess water and debris would pass down the spillway to the fish farm as it does at present. It may also be necessary to pass a continuous flow to the fish farm. This would be achieved by setting a small diameter pipe through the bottom of the wall of the new intake chamber. This would ensure there would always be a flow to the spillway and fish farm. For the purposes of this report, we have assumed a low flow of 10 l/s would be sufficient. The higher this flow to the fish farm the less flow there is available to the turbine. The large diameter pipe that feeds the existing intake would be sealed into this chamber to exclude any other debris from the system. A level sensor would be required in the intake chamber to send a control signal to the powerhouse to change the turbine flow to match the flow available in the leat. A signal cable will be required to be installed between the intake and powerhouse. 6.5.3 Pipeline From a previous study by Derwent Hydroelectric Power Ltd, and from data provided by the community, we understand the existing pipeline to be plastic with an internal diameter of approximately 260mm. There is no isolation valve on the pipeline; we would recommend a manually operated valve is installed to isolate the pipeline in case of emergency. It is assumed the pipeline has a clean internal condition. If the pipe has become fouled with deposits or slime, hydraulic performance will be reduced and it will have to be cleaned.
Page 38
March 2006
6.5.4 Powerhouse The existing powerhouse contains the single jet turgo turbine, belt driven generator and control system. The turbine was manufactured by Gilkes in 1935, machine number SN4109. The original design data for the machine was obtained from Gilkes and is as follows: Power 10 BHP Net Head 55 feet (16.8m) Flow 2.15 cubic feet/second (61 litres/s) Speed 445 rpm On the day of the site visit, a survey was carried out to accurately determine the gross head for the scheme. The gross head available between the expected water level in the intake chamber, and the centreline of the turbine, is 48.5m. It is clear that the machine was not originally intended for this site as the gross head available is much higher and the machine runs at around 700 rpm and at a higher flow. We estimate the maximum flow for the machine at around 100 l/s based on a gross head of 48.5 m, and a net head (after pipeline and fittings losses) of 43.5m. The machine has been taken from elsewhere and installed at this site at a later date. It does appear however that the turbine is in reasonably good condition and may need little or no servicing to make it operational again. Running the machine up to speed will indicate whether there are any bearing problems. If the scheme is to be refurbished as a grid connected system, it will require; Installation of an electric actuator for the existing spear, to allow the turbine to automatically follow the flow available. New induction generator and new pulleys New control system, G59 grid connection system and SCADA (System Control and Data Acquisition). This allows someone to remotely dial into the control system from their home computer to check the operation of the scheme, power output etc. If there is someone local who can check the scheme each day (without cost) it would be possible not to fit the SCADA, with a saving of around 4,000. Grid connection cabling and transformer, supplied by Western Power Distribution. 6.5.5 Access There is good access to the powerhouse via a road and track. The pipeline intake could be reached by tractor and trailer for moving materials. The river weir is more difficult although it may be possible to drive a small excavator to the site if the route alongside the leat is improved in places. 6.6 Grid Connection
A grid connection quotation was obtained in 2001 by Derwent Hydroelectric Power of around 9,000 for a refurbished scheme. For the purposes of this study, a conservative estimate of 12,000 - 15,000 has been assumed. 6.7 Environmental
The key issues for the Environment Agency and the Planning Authority are: a) The ecological effect of reduced flows between the intake and powerhouse. Reduced flows can affect fish, particularly migratory fish, bryophytes and invertebrates, which in turn can affect other species higher up the food chain. If there are any natural fish
barriers (e.g. waterfalls) downstream of the powerhouse, then this will mean the hydro will not affect migratory fish, although it could still affect any brown trout population. If there are rare or rich colonies of bryophytes (mosses and liverworts) or flora in the affected stretch, this may also reduce the flows that are permitted for abstraction. Other species of interest will be dippers, otters, and bats. b) Effects during construction. Of most concern is silt disturbance in the river and possible contamination with oil or cement during works to the river intake weir. Careful construction management can avoid these effects. 6.8 Sale of Renewable Electricity
Under the current system for supporting renewable energy, there are contracts currently available that offer 75/MWh and 95 (7.5-9.5 pence/kWh) on a yearly basis. This includes the value of the exported energy, the value of the Renewable Obligation Certificate (ROC), the value of the Levy Exempt Certificate (LEC) and the recycle value. These are described below. Longer term contracts up to 10 years or more can also be secured, however the value of these is lower due to the risk involved in how prices may change in future. As it is impossible to predict how prices may change in future, for the purposes of this report, an annual average figure of 75/MWh has been assumed to be available over the life of the project. 6.9 Hydro Generation Potential
6.9.1 Scheme Size, Energy Generation and Gross Revenue The scheme size depends upon the abstraction regime agreed with the Environment Agency and Planning authority. Until ecological surveys are carried out to determine the sensitivity of the site, it is not possible to accurately determine the size of scheme. It has been assumed at this stage that 10 l/s is continually required to feed the fish farm. Negotiations with the fish farm would be required to discuss an appropriate flow requirement. The figures below are based on a maximum turbine flow of 100 l/s at 43m net head. For the three abstraction scenarios discussed in section 6.3, the results are as follows: Abstraction Maximum Output (kW) 28 28 28 Annual Generation (MWh) 67 92 118 Gross Revenue@ 75/MWh 4,999 6,898 8,831
25% to ADF, 50% above ADF, Q95 Min 50%, Q95 Min 75%, Q95 Min
Figure 25 - Generation & revenue levels, Afon Gafel
6.10 Operation and Maintenance Costs Costs include insurance (asset cover and public liability), business rates, weekly visits and call outs by a local person to check operation, reset faults and carry out routine maintenance (greasing bearings, record readings etc), spare parts, imported electricity and one day per year assessment by Dulas (or other). Total costs are estimated at around 2500 - 3000 per annum. These costs do not include landowner payments, typically 4-5% of gross income,
although in this case costs may be higher because the community would be acquiring existing infrastructure and equipment. We would propose to install a System Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system at the site; this would enable you to remotely check the site from your home computer, reset faults, monitor performance and stop and re - start the machine. Hence daily checks on this site could be carried out at the cost of a phone call and your time. Normally these checks only take around 5 minutes. 6.11 Development Cost Estimate Development costs are required to obtain planning and abstraction licences, with associated ecological surveys. The scale of these costs can vary enormously, depending upon the scope of work required by the Environment Agency and planning authority. For the purposes of this study an estimate of around 5,000 has been used. The actual figure could be more or less than this. The total cost to develop the scheme is shown in the table, including the development costs described above plus construction and commissioning costs. We expect that these costs could vary by around plus or minus 15%. The following are approximate cost estimates only, exclusive of VAT:
Development Fees (Planning, abstraction, ecological surveys) Intake refurbishment, flow measurement Leat improvements New intake screen, chamber, pipe to exisitng intake, level sensing New signal cable to powerhouse and installation Pipeline isolation valve and fittings Electro-Mechanical Equipment Control system, cabling and fittings SCADA Grid Connection Design, Specify and Project Manage Electro-mechanical installation and commissioning, O&M manuals, training, travel and subsistance Total
Figure 26 - Capital construction costs at Afon Gafel
5,000 17,400 2,064 5,520 4,680 1,440 4,140 15,600 4,800 12,924 9,200 19,253 102,021
6.12 Conclusions Unless the current landowner wishes to transfer the site to the community, there is currently no possibility of the community developing the site. If this is possible however, it is almost certain that major works will have to be undertaken at the intake weir to comply with the requirements of the Environment Agency. More investigation would need to be undertaken into the terms and current status of the abstraction licence, and possibly to negotiate a new licence. To refurbish the scheme into a modern, automatic, river following grid connected scheme requires considerable additional works, including leat repairs, spillway alterations, intake screening modifications, level sensing and turbine spear actuation for automatic control, a new generator control and grid connection system, SCADA, new grid connection cabling, metering, cut out fuses and transformer.
For an economically viable scheme, the site would need substantial grant funding (ideally over 70%) and an abstraction licence that allows at least 50% abstraction of the total river flow. At 50% abstraction, this gives a maximum output of 28 kW and a gross average annual income of around 6,900 with net income of around 3,900 after operation and maintenance costs. Refurbishment costs for a scheme of this size are estimated at approximately 102,000, plus or minus 15%. 6.13 Recommendations If the scheme is of interest, the next steps to progress the scheme are: Investigate grant funding for refurbishment costs the scheme will not be viable for the community without substantial grant aid. Agree the transfer of the scheme from the current owner to the community. Develop negotiations with the Environment Agency and Planning Authority and commission ecological surveys if necessary. Obtain an updated grid connection estimate. Obtain detailed quotes for major equipment and construction items, along with installation and commissioning costs, to confirm overall costs.
Page 42
March 2006
Investigation of Hydro Power at Glogue Quarry
7.1 Overview This is a new potential site on a tributary to the Afon Taf. The scheme will require planning and abstraction licence for a new intake weir, pipeline, powerhouse and associated equipment, with a grid connection to the nearest three phase network. The intake would be located in the region of grid reference SN 2195 3380 and the powerhouse at SN 2115 3308. The site location map showing the position of the intake, pipeline and powerhouse is included in Appendix C.
Figure 27 - Site location of Glogue Quarry hydro scheme
Two other tributaries of the Afon Taf were identified by the community and also briefly assessed. However, these schemes were only around 30% of the size of the site at Glogue Quarry and were immediately ruled out as unviable. 7.2 Land Ownership At this stage it is unclear who owns the land on which the scheme components are situated. It is advantageous if the whole scheme can be located within the boundaries of one landowner, as landowner rental payments will be very small for this scheme. If rental payments are to be split between 2 or more parties, then each payment can be so small that landowners may lose interest. Typical total rental payments are 4-5% of gross income. 7.3 Abstraction Licence A new abstraction licence will be required for this site as part of the planning process. The amount that the Environment Agency will permit for abstraction will depend primarily upon the ecological interest on the river and also any visual amenity features e.g. waterfalls that may be affected.
Page 43
March 2006
7.4
Catchment Analysis
7.4.1 Total River Flow The catchment upstream of the existing weir was digitised and assessed to give a total catchment area of 1.49 km2. Rainfall data from Engineering Hydrology by Eric Wilson indicated a gross annual rainfall for the area of 1600mm, with estimated losses due to evaporation and transpiration of 450mm, leaving a net runoff of 1150mm. This catchment was then scaled to the long-term flow duration curve for the Afon Hafren, produced from 30 years of 15 minute data collected by the Institute of Hydrology. This gives a predicted flow duration curve for this catchment that feeds the proposed intake weir site. The estimated flow duration curve is presented in Appendix C. 7.4.2 Flow Available for Hydro Generation The Environment Agency has been approached to obtain their preliminary views on a suitable abstraction regime for the site. At this stage they have replied with their standard policy response: The scheme must leave a minimum residual flow of Q95 (the flow that is equaled or exceeded 95% of the time). Up to the average daily flow (ADF), 25% of the additional flow above the Q95 level can be abstracted. Above the average daily flow, an abstraction of 50% of the flow available above the Q95 flow can be abstracted. A copy of their letter is included in Appendix D. This level of abstraction is never viable for a hydroelectric scheme. However, in some instances it is possible to agree a higher level of abstraction where it can be demonstrated that the scheme will have little impact and where the ecological interest in the river is less significant. Unfortunately, to reach such agreement can take significant time and cost, particularly if detailed hydrological and ecological surveys are required. For the purposes of the report, three abstraction scenarios have been considered to demonstrate the effect of the agreed abstraction upon annual generation and income. These results are presented in section 7.9. Each regime requires an absolute minimum residual of Q95, but with different abstractions rates as follows: Up to the ADF, 25% abstraction of excess flow above Q95. abstraction of excess flow above Q95. 50% abstraction of excess flow above Q95 at all times. 75% abstraction of excess flow above Q95 at all times. Above ADF, 50%
The first regime is the one currently suggested by the EA. The second is a regime that could likely be negotiated after carrying out more studies and discussions. The third regime is possible but less likely to be agreed by the EA. 7.5 System Outline
7.5.1 New Intake Weir A new intake weir will be required to divert part of the river flow into a new pipeline and into the turbine. The weir will probably be constructed from reinforced concrete, incorporating metal plate notches to correctly proportion the flows between the river and pipeline. The weir will incorporate a screening system to filter the water entering the pipeline and prevent ingress of fish. A screen with a maximum spacing of 10mm is typical. If the chosen weir site allows, we
would recommend the installation of a Coanda type screen, which is installed on the downstream face of the weir. The screen is self-cleaning and excludes all debris to less than 1mm diameter. An alternative is a shallow sloping parallel bar screen, similar to that proposed for the Afon Gafel scheme, which is cheaper but allows more debris into the system and may need cleaning more often. A typical arrangement for the Coanda screen is shown in Appendix E. The intake will also require two level sensors; one to determine the total river flow and the other in the sump beneath the screen to allow control of the turbine to match the flow available that passes through the screen. A signal cable will need to be laid alongside the pipeline to transmit the level data to the turbine control system. 7.5.2 Pipeline A new pipeline will be required to convey the water from the intake to the powerhouse. The size of pipeline required depends upon the maximum flow chosen for the turbine, which in turn depends upon the abstraction regime obtained. Given the three abstraction regimes presented above, the expected maximum flow would be between 37 and 50 l/s. The pipeline length, scaled from the map, is approximately 1100m; this is a long pipeline for only a moderate gross head of around 50m. Hence, to reduce friction losses to a reasonable level, an appropriate pipe external diameter would be around 250mm, with an internal diameter of around 230mm. The pipeline route does not appear very straightforward. In the area of the proposed intake the gradient of the river is small. Downstream, the river enters a steeper sides valley where pipe installation would be difficult. Since the pipeline has to have a more or less continuous fall, it may be necessary to move the intake much further upstream to allow the pipe to sit above the steep sided valley downstream and make the pipe installation easier. A digital theodolite survey would be required to determine the best possible pipe route. Unfortunately this size of pipe is not available in the 50m or 100m rolls of polyethylene; hence the pipe would have to be installed in 6m lengths. It would also have to be buried to restrain the joints, with anchor blocks at any bends. This makes the pipeline very expensive for this scale of scheme. An alternative would be to install two smaller pipelines of HPPE, above ground, along the side of the river. There was not time on the day of the site visit to assess this route. The pipe would be supplied in 50m or 100m lengths. It would increase the pipe material cost but would reduce the installation cost significantly and also eliminate the need for anchor blocks and bends. This would save around 17,000. It assumes the planning authority would permit an above ground installation. 7.5.3 Powerhouse A new powerhouse building will be required to contain the new turbine, generator and control system. The powerhouse would typically need to be of the order of 3 to 3.5m square, and 2.0m to the eaves. It will require a reinforced concrete floor slab with outlet channel or buried pipe for the turbine discharge back to the river. Walls can be brick or block construction, with stone or timber cladding, or render as required by the planning authority. The turbine would probably be a multi-jet pelton or single jet turgo machine, driving an induction generator. This may be belt driven or direct drive. Control of turbine flow would need to be automatic to match the turbine flow to that available in the river, via the signal provided by the intake level sensor. The abstraction regime agreed with the EA will determine the power output of the scheme and in turn this determines the complexity of the control system. For a 3 phase system under 11kW,
the system can be grid connected under G83 requirements, which is less onerous and allows for a slightly cheaper control system. Above 11 kW, the system falls under G59 connection requirements and requires a more complicated, costly system. At 50% abstraction or less, the system will produce around 10 kW, so G83 requirements have been assumed for the purposes of this report. To try to reduce costs, we would recommend a simpler control system be installed. However, this system cannot communicate with a SCADA, hence manual supervision of the machine will be required. 7.5.4 Access It was not possible to see the powerhouse location on the site visit. Access to the intake and pipeline route would need to be via the fields, a distance of around 300m from the road. 7.6 Grid Connection
At this stage Western Power Distribution has not yet confirmed a grid connection cost estimate. For the purposes of the report a figure of approximately 6,000 has been estimated. 7.7 Environmental
The same environmental issues apply to this site as for the Afon Gafel scheme. However, as this is a totally new scheme, the costs of obtaining planning permission for the various structures (weir, pipeline and powerhouse) will be more onerous. 7.8 Sale of Renewable Electricity
The same system and sale price would apply as for the Afon Gafel scheme; hence at least 75/MWh (7.5 pence/kWh) should be available, at least in the short term. 7.9 Hydro Generation Potential
7.9.1 Scheme Size, Energy Generation and Gross Revenue The scheme size depends upon the abstraction regime agreed with the Environment Agency and Planning authority. Until ecological surveys are carried out to determine the sensitivity of the site, it is not possible to accurately determine the size of scheme. For the three abstraction scenarios discussed in section 7.3, the results are as follows: Abstraction Maximum Output (kW) 10 10 14 Annual Generation (MWh) 28 37 53 Gross Revenue@ 75/MWh 1,960 2,766 3,965
25% to ADF, 50% above ADF, Q95 Min 50%, Q95 Min 75%, Q95 Min
Figure 28 Generation and revenues, Glogue Quarry
Page 46
March 2006
7.10 Operation and Maintenance Costs Costs include insurance (asset cover and public liability), business rates, weekly visits and call outs by a local person to check operation, reset faults and carry out routine maintenance (greasing bearings, record readings etc), spare parts, imported electricity and one day per year assessment by Dulas (or other). Total costs are estimated at around 2500 per annum. These costs do not include landowner rental payments. 7.11 Development Cost Estimate Development costs are required to obtain planning and abstraction licences, with associated ecological surveys. The scale of these costs can vary enormously, depending upon the scope of work required by the Environment Agency and planning authority. For the purposes of this study an estimate of around 5,000 has been used. The actual figure could be more or less than this. The total costs to develop the site are shown in the table, including the development costs described above plus construction and commissioning costs. We expect that these costs could vary by around plus or minus 15%. The following are approximate cost estimates only, exclusive of VAT:
Development fees (Planning, abstraction, ecological surveys) 10,000 New intake weir, level sensing, fittings, screen, signal cable to powerhouse 12,720 Pipeline materials and installation 37,320 Powerhouse 10,800 Electro-mechanical equipment, control system 28,320 Grid connection 6,120 Design, specify and project manage 20,000 Electro-mechanical installation and commissioning, O&M manuals, training, travel and subsistance 22,503 Total 147,783
Figure 29 - Capital construction costs at Glogue Quarry
This installation cost seems inordinately high for the electrical output of 10 to 14 kW. As can be seen, almost a quarter of the cost is in the long pipeline. The powerhouse, turbine and control system amount to another large proportion. Finally, the time required to design, specify, install and commission all these elements is relatively fixed. For example, if the scheme had 150m head and a larger river, most costs would not increase significantly, however, the annual generation and income could be 5 to 10 times higher. 7.12 Conclusions Even with the best possible abstraction regime, with a gross annual income of 3,965 and expected maintenance costs of 2,500 (plus any landowner rental payments), there is very little or no net income. The cost of the scheme is very high at 148,000 due to the long pipeline and the relatively fixed costs of powerhouse, electro-mechanical equipment, and design, installation and project management time. Even with 100% grant funding we would not advocate progressing this scheme. 10 kW hydro schemes have been constructed - however, they need much more favourable conditions, such as:
Existing infrastructure High head and short pipeline Good water resource Landowner who is the developer and can carry out much of the construction work themselves (i.e. at no external cost) Landowner who can visit the site each day and make manual flow adjustments. This reduces the complexity of the control system Low ecological sensitivity and a high rate of abstraction.
Page 48
March 2006
Economic Analysis of Community Hydro Schemes
8.1 Capital and O&M costs The following tables show the breakdown of capital and O&M costs for both hydro schemes as extracted from the previous sections of the report.
Capital Costs of Construction Development Fees Intake works Leat improvements New intake screen, chamber & pipe New signal cable Pipeline works Powerhouse Electro-mechanical equipment Control system SCADA Grid Connection Design, specify & project manage EM installation, commissioning, O&M manuals etc Total Capital Cost of Construction
Figure 30 - Capital costs of hydro schemes
Afon Gafel 5,000 17,400 2,064 5,520 4,680 1,440 4,140 15,600 4,800 12,924 9,200 19,253 102,021
Glogue Quarry 10,000 12,720
37,320 10,800 28,320
6,120 20,000 22,503

147,783
Operating and Maintenance Costs

Operation & maintenance costs
Figure 31 - O&M costs of hydro schemes
Afon Gafel
Glogue Quarry
3,000
2,500
8.2 Whole Life Cost Analysis The same model has been used as for the wind power analysis to determine the expected revenues and benefits to the community for the Afon Gafel and Glogue Quarry hydro schemes. The rate paid for electricity from hydro power generation is currently calculated at 7.5 p/kWh, this is inclusive of all Renewable Obligation Ceritificates (ROCs) and Climate Change Levy Exemption Certificates (LECs). Hence this translates into a revenue stream for each scheme as detailed in Figure 32 below. Using this information the whole life cost of each scheme has been modelled with the following parameters: o o o o o o o o Figures are based on 100% community financing of the schemes Discount rate is assumed at 3.5% Depreciable Capital has been allowed against major plant Capital allowance rate of 25% has been allowed Life expectancy of the schemes is assumed at 25 years Companies tax is assumed at 20% No allowance has been made for capital grants Electricity price is assumed at 7.5p/kWh, a higher price may be achievable.
Page 49
March 2006
The payback periods, net present value of the schemes at 15 years (value to the community) and the internal rate of return (IRR) are shown for each of the schemes are also detailed in Figure 32.
Production and Revenue
Production (kWh/yr) Carbon Dioxide Savings (kg/yr) Revenue (annual) Payback (yrs) NPV @ 25 years
Afon Gafel Glogue Quarry
92,000 39,560 6,900 47.8 48,888 -
53,000 22,790 3,975 162.9 121,304
Figure 32 - Production, revenues and NPV of hydro schemes
This indicates that both schemes would be unprofitable over the 25 year lifespan, and would require significant grant support for there to be a financial benefit to the community. The Afon Gafel scheme would require a grant of 48,888 to break even and similarly the Glogue Quarry a grant of 121,304.
Page 50
March 2006
Appendix A Planning Policy for Renewable Energy

The situation regarding planning permission for wind generation has been fundamentally altered by the release of Technical Advice Note 8 (TAN 8) renewable energy planning policy for Wales. The Welsh Assembly has set a target of 4 TWh/annum to be produced by renewable energy by 2010 as part of the wider UK national target of generating 10 % of electricity consumption from renewable sources by 2010. Figures presented by the Assembly for May 2004 estimate the total annual electrical output from renewable installations in Wales as 1.18 TWh [1], with an additional 0.7 TWh of new additional production approved. These figures imply a doubling of current output if the 4 TWh/annum target is to be met. Specifically for onshore wind, the Assembly considers that a further 800MW of installed capacity will be required by 2010. In light of the need for new renewable energy installations, the Assembly has updated its renewable energy planning advice. National planning policy advice on renewable energy is detailed in the Technical Advice Note (TAN) 8: Renewable Energy. Through modifications to this TAN, the Assembly aims to provide positively for this increase in renewable energy. As part of this process, the Welsh Assembly Planning Division commissioned work to assess, at a strategic level, the potential for wind energy development in Wales. The consultants, Arup, produced a decision support tool which was essentially a collation of relevant information, data, techniques and research, in order to document and clarify relevant issues relating to wind farm development in Wales. The work culminated in the identification of seven separate areas (Strategic Search Areas), capable of accommodating large scale (>25 MW) wind farms. These seven areas were adopted in the final version of TAN 8 as Strategic Search Areas (SSAs), after wide public and industry consultation. TAN8 further instructs local planning authorities to, refine if necessary the SSAs and provide more detailed criteria based guidance on wind energy development in these areas. Development of wind energy schemes outside of the SSAs are expected to constitute no more than 5MW 'community' schemes. Local authorities will have to incorporate national policy within local development plans, and in doing so have the power to specify what constitutes an acceptable small or community development. Pembrokeshire has yet to release supplementary planning guidance (SPG) relating to wind energy, however if it follows the example set by Powys, Conwy and Denbigshire wind developments outside the SSAs may be restricted to a turbine height of 70m (to tip). A typical turbine of this size would be rated at around 500kW. In addition to the guidance on wind energy, TAN8 also provides a level of detailed guidance on other renewable energy generation technologies. Pembrokeshire County Council and the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority are each required by law to prepare and keep under review a Unitary Development Plan. From 2002 the County Council and National Park Authority have been engaged in the joint production of a combined plan for their areas - a Joint Unitary Development Plan (JUDP). The JUDP document will replace the Dyfed Structure Plan and three Local Plans (the North and South Pembrokeshire Local Plans and the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Local Plan) currently operating across the County. The first JUDP draft was released in 2002, and has been through the required consultation, inspection and modification. The latest, and presumably final modified plan was presented in
Cwm Arian Report REV2 .doc E4354 Page i January 2006
December 2005 and has now closed for consultation. Modifications includes reference to TAN8 and its requirements, however there is no mention of the criteria expected for community wind development beyond those set out in Policy 60 Wind Energy Development. The modified JUDP sets out the intention of both authorities to produce Supplementary Planning Guidance relating to renewable energy and wind energy in particular. The final plan is expected to be adopted in summer 2006. Changes in UK legislation mean that even as the authorities move to adopt the Joint Unitary Development Plan they will also be preparing a successor Local Development Plan. In practice this means that the a review process for the newly adopted JUDP will begin almost immediately after adoption. Relevant extracts from the latest iteration Proposed Modifications to the Joint Unitary Development Plan for Pembrokeshire (Deposit Plan) December 2005 are reproduced below. The whole document is available online at:
http://live.pcnpa.org.uk/PCNP/live/AdvHTML_Upload//Modifications%20Text%20and%20Maps/Text/FI NAL%20JUDP%20Mods%20Text%20Post%20Insp%20letter_English.doc
PART 2 5. 8.2.2
5.6.1
Development 5.6 5.6
Renewable Energy
Renewable Energy
In addition to measures to conserve energy use, generation of power from renewable resources can help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and also the UK's current over-reliance on energy from fossil fuels and nuclear power. Pembrokeshire has significant potential to supply renewable energy, although it is remote from major areas of power demand. In addition to measures to conserve energy use, generation of power from renewable resources can help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and also the UK's current over-reliance on energy from fossil fuels and nuclear power. Pembrokeshire has significant potential to supply renewable energy, although it is remote from major areas of power demand. Recent changes to national guidance, through amendments to Planning Policy Wales in the form of the Ministerial Planning Policy Statement (01/2005), and TAN8 (2005), sets national targets for renewable energy for 2010 and 2020 to be met mainly through large windfarms. TAN 8 identifies strategic search areas in which large windfarms should be located, none of which are within Pembrokeshire. Industrial sites along the Haven Waterway are identified as having some potential for small or medium sized windfarms (under 5 Megawatt), subject to further site specific evaluation. Planning applications on these sites will be assessed against Policy 60. Renewable energy projects, including research and development should be supported where environmental impacts are minimised and nationally and internationally designated areas are not compromised. Supplementary Planning Guidance on sustainable design is being prepared by both Authorities and will deal with incorporating renewable energy, energy conservation and energy efficiency into building construction and design. Sources of renewable energy include the wind, water, sun, plant material and non-hazardous waste. Special technologies are usually required for their exploitation and the necessity for resource-specific technologies will be taken into consideration in determining planning applications. Examples of these technologies include, wind turbines generating electrical power, tidal and hydro-power plants, wood fuel/biomass for combustion in wood burning power stations, waste combustion, anaerobic digestion, combustion of landfill gases and solar power systems. Support for energy generation from renewable resources must be weighed carefully against the need to protect the built, historic and natural environment, including the coast, countryside and historic settlements, the amenities of local residents, important landscapes
Page ii January 2006
5.6.2
Cymdeithas Cwm Arian Renewable Energy Feasibility Study (such as the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park), agriculture and forestry. Particular care is needed where areas of international or national nature conservation, landscape or archaeological interest are likely to be affected.
Policy 1 Renewable Energy
8.2.2.1.1 The generation of power from renewable resources will be permitted where:
i) ii)
no demonstrable significant harm would be caused to the built, historic or natural environment; and there will be no significant adverse impact on amenity arising from the scale or appearance of the development and/or any resultant air or water pollution, noise or motor vehicle traffic; and there is no significant adverse impact either individually or cumulatively to important landscapes, especially those within or close to the boundaries of the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park; and there will be no significantly adverse impact on agriculture or forestry.
This policy aims to encourage renewable energy developments and the contribution they can make to the generation of power. Schemes that can demonstrate local benefits and that make use of derelict areas or redundant buildings will be encouraged. An Environmental Statement may be required to demonstrate how a development will satisfy the policy criteria (Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) (England and Wales) Regulations 1999 (SI 1999/293) as amended).
iii)
iv) 5.6.3
Policy 2 Wind Energy Development
8.2.2.1.2
i) ii)
Wind energy development will be permitted where:
there is no significant damage to the built, historic or natural environment; and there will be no significantly adverse impact on the amenities of local residents arising from either the scale, appearance or layout of the development, or any resultant noise, safety risk or shadow flicker; and there is no significant adverse impact either individually or cumulatively to important landscapes, especially those within or close to the boundaries of the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park; and ancillary works and structures are minimised; and new links to the electricity grid are placed underground where they would cross visually prominent and sensitive areas.
Wind farms and wind turbines generate renewable energy, helping to keep greenhouse gas emissions down and broaden the base of UK energy supplies. Pembrokeshire is well placed to take advantage of wind energy, as many locations can provide the necessary wind speeds on a regular basis. As with other renewable energy sources, special technologies are required that raise complex planning issues. Consequently, development will only be permitted where there are no significant adverse impacts on the built, historic and natural environment, on local residents or on important landscapes. Sites falling within or close to the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park require particular care. Normally a planning application for wind energy development should be accompanied by an Environmental Statement (Town and Country Planning
Page iii January 2006
iii)
iv) v)
5.6.4
5.6.5
Cymdeithas Cwm Arian Renewable Energy Feasibility Study (Environmental Impact Assessment) (England and Wales) Regulations 1999 (SI 1999/293) as amended). Appropriate de-commissioning of turbine sites and re-use will be required by condition. All plant and ancillary infrastructure should be dismantled and removed from the site 6 months after cessation of operations (except for certain below ground works, which may remain); and disused sites that have been cleared of 'above ground' plant and infrastructure should be restored to an appropriate use. In association with any planning permission granted the local planning authority may require a bond be secured to cover the eventual cost of reinstatement. 5.6.6 Some wind turbine proposals may come forward on marine sites beyond land use planning control. While different legislative regimes will apply in such cases, both the County Council and National Park Authority expect an involvement in the decision making process. Specific sites for wind energy developments are not identified in the JUDP. Both local planning authorities will use LANDMAP to assess the potential of different landscapes to accommodate wind energy developments. This will be published as SPG.
5.6.7
Page iv
January 2006
Appendix A Sale of Renewable Electricity

Under the current system for supporting renewable energy, there are contracts currently available that offer 75/MWh and 95 (7.5 - 9.5 pence/kWh) on a yearly basis. This includes the value of the exported energy, the value of the Renewable Obligation Certificate (ROC), the value of the Levy Exempt Certificate (LEC) and the recycle value. These are described below. Longer term contracts up to 10 years or more can also be secured, however the value of these is lower due to the risk involved in how prices may change in future. As it is impossible to predict how prices may change in future, for the purposes of this report, an annual average figure of between 61/MWh and 75/MWh has been assumed to be available over the life of the project. A.1 The Renewable Obligation The Renewable Obligation (RO) is the mechanism by which the Government is intending to achieve its target of 10% Renewable Electricity (RE) supply by 2010. It is a requirement on all licensed electricity suppliers in England and Wales to supply a proportion of their electricity from RE generation. The obligation on each supplier will rises to 10.4% by the year ending 31st March 2010. The RO will run until 2026 providing a guaranteed market for renewable energy. The expected market for eligible renewables is expected to expand three fold from the present level of 10TWh to 25TWh in 2010. There will effectively be four products, each with its own value, related to renewable energy generation:
Electricity (actual kWh) Renewable Obligation Certificates Levy Exemption Certificates Recycle value (from split of buy-out revenue)
The value associated with each of these component parts cannot be guaranteed, but the following sections will provide an indication of the price range that could be expected, and therefore the total overall value of RE generation. A.2 Electricity This has risen considerably in recent years and is currently high at around 35/MWh. It is likely that this will remain so for as long as gas prices remain high and the UK continues to import large amounts of fuel. A.3 Renewable Obligation Certificates Each year, licensed electricity suppliers will be obliged to meet a certain volume of their electricity supply from RE sources. This will be calculated as an appropriate percentage of their own electricity sales volume. Compliance with this obligation is monitored using tradable certificates known as Renewable Obligation Certificates (ROCs). ROCs can be traded independently from the electricity generated. Effectively the RO decouples electricity generation from the green credit and each can be traded separately in two different markets. Suppliers of electricity have the following options in order to comply with their obligation:
Page v
January 2006
Contract RE generation in tandem with the ROC Buy ROCs separately from either RE generators, from other suppliers who have excess ROCs or from traders who purely deal in the trading of ROCs Buy-out. This last options means that if the supplier fails to secure enough ROCs to cover their Obligation, then they must buy-out the remainder. The cost of this is currently 32.33/MWh (3.23 pence per kWh) generated and rises in line with the Retail Price Index each year. The buy-out clause effectively sets a ceiling on the price paid for RE generation. If RE generation is too expensive then the supplier will opt to buy-out and this limits the cost of compliance to the supplier and hence the cost to the consumer.
Funds raised from the buy-out option are recycled to compliant suppliers in proportion to the amount of ROCs they redeem. Within industry there is considerable support for the recycling of these funds as it effectively increases the value of the ROC if the market is short, (i.e. short of available ROCs). By purchasing ROCs, a supplier not only avoids paying the buy-out, but they also get a larger share of the recycled buy-out fund. It should also be noted that if the market is short, i.e. insufficient affordable RE capacity compared to the given periods obligation, then the market value of ROCs will remain stable and quite high a sellers market. Similarly, the buy-out fund could also be high because there is insufficient affordable RE generation and so suppliers will choose to buy-out. Conversely, if there is a significant increase in affordable RE capacity then fewer suppliers will choose to buyout and therefore the overall buy-out fund will reduce. This means that there are fewer funds to redistribute to the compliant suppliers, and therefore not only will the value of RE generation be reduced but the value of the buy-out will also be reduced. This demonstrates that market forces will determine the value of the ROCs. A.4 Climate Change Levy and Levy Exempt Certificates The Climate Change Levy (CCL) was a tax introduced on April 1st 2001. It essentially imposed a tax of 4.30 MWh (0.43 p/kWh) on all energy consumption in the public, commercial and industrial sectors. It does not apply to domestic customers. The levy is intended to incentivise users into the more efficient use of energy as part of the Governments strategy to reduce CO2 emissions, as well as to stimulate demand for RE. Renewable electricity is obviously exempt from this climate change tax and is therefore eligible for Levy Exemption Certificates (LECs). The idea is that end users will request renewable electricity to save paying the tax. What actually happens is that the supplier will offer a proportion of the 0.43 p/kWh saving to the end user, apportion some value for themselves, with the remainder going to the generator. Hence RE generators dont realise the total value of the LEC - current contracts reflect around 60-85% of the total CCL value, or between 0.28 and 0.34 p/kWh. There is a possibility that LECs may be taken out of the system in the next few years, which would reduce overall renewable energy prices slightly.
Page vi
January 2006
Appendix B Project Funding

B.1 Legal Structure In order to obtain funding, certainly in respect of corporate finance, Cymdeithas Cwm Arian would require some form of legal status. A suitable method for this may be the new Community Interest Companies (CICs) status as recently launched by companies house. The two main features that distinguish CICs from normal companies are the asset lock and the Community Interest Statement and Report. Under the asset lock provisions, the assets and profits must be permanently retained within the CIC, and used solely for community benefit, or transferred to another organisation which itself has an asset lock, such as a charity, or to another CIC. For instance, a charity could form a CIC to be its trading arm and this CIC could then transfer all its surpluses to the charity. Please note that existing charities can convert to CICs, subject to regulatory permission, but they will lose their charitable status in doing so. The full range of limited company forms is available to CICs, including that of a company limited by guarantee and also by shares. B.2 Corporate Financing There should be a variety of scope to borrow money from private entities such as banks or finance companies. Some of these actively seek to be involved in the finance of community or sustainable projects and as such a have specific fund for this type of project. Discussions with individuals with experience in obtaining this type of financing have been undertaken. This has indicated that based on the financial analysis so far, there should be little problem in obtaining interest from financial organisations. It is understood that Cymdeithas Cwm Arian is currently investigating this avenue. B.3 Grant Funding Grant funding would make a significant enhancement to the profitability of any community energy scheme by reducing the initial capital funding required. This would lead to faster payback and hence more revenue earning potential over the project lifetime. A number of grant streams have been investigated for potential: Low Carbon Buildings Programme This is the new programme that replaces the Clear Skies programme and PV Demonstration Programme. There may be scope for funding under the proposed Stream 2 fund for larger projects, however to date it would appear that the fund is aimed more at building oriented projects. Additional funding levels have just been announced (total fund now 80M), and details of the programme will be forthcoming. Once the scheme is fully defined it should be examined in detail to determine eligibility to apply for funding. This fund will may certainly be used as a source for domestic scale grants under the Stream 1 section of the programme. Funding may be sought for most of the small-scale technologies discussed in the report.
Page vii
January 2006
Objective 1 Programme Under the Priority 3 (Community Economic Regeneration) and Priority 5 (Rural Development and the Sustainable Use of Natural Resources) of this programme there should be opportunity to seek grant funding. The programme seeks to develop rural economies via changes in land use and traditional income streams help economic regeneration. B.4 Community Share Issue A number of community renewable energy projects have been developed in Wales already. Dulas has been involved with a number of these. We have enclosed a CD that contains information of the funding of community projects. Information may also be found at the following websites: Renewable Energy Investment Club - www.reic.co.uk Bro Dyfi Community Renewables - www.ecodyfi.org.uk/energy/energybdcr.htm B.5 Welsh Energy Agencies There is a network of Energy Agencies in Wales dedicated to helping the implementation of energy efficiency and sustainable energy. The West Wales Eco Centre should be able to help advise further on grants that may be applicable to the local area. Contact details are: The Old School Business Centre Lower St Mary Street Newport Pembrokeshire SA42 0TS Wales UK Or by telephone/fax on: Telephone: +44 (0) 1239 820235 Fax: +44 (0) 1239 820801 Or by email at: westwales@ecocentre.org.uk
Page viii
January 2006
Appendix C Details & Flow Analysis of Hydro Schemes

C.1 Afon Gafel
Page ix
January 2006
Total flow l/s
Flow Duration Curve - Afon Gafel
60 700 600 500 400 300

Page x
70 200 100 0
January 2006
80
90 0 Flow (l/s) 10 20 30 40 %ile 50
100
Hydrology & Energy Output Summary - Q95 and 25% Residual Flow
E4354
23-Mar-06
sq km m m m l/s
Site Name
Afon Gafel - Pont-y-Gafel
Cwm Arian Report REV2 .doc

Hydraulics Gross Head: Head loss for intake screen: Pipe pressure loss (at design flow): Net head at design flow: Turbine design flow: Minimum flow (% of design flow): Minimum flow:
48.5 0.3 4.4 43.8 100 20% 20 25% 10 l/s Generator Rating (kVA): m m m m l/s
Data FDC: Turbine: Generator:
Normalised Hafren Gilkes Single Jet Turgo 20 kVA
Hydrology Catchment Area: Average Annual Rainfall: Evapotranspiration Net Annual Rainfall: Residual flow: Fish Farm Flow:
Q95 and
4.96 1.600 0.450 1.150
Efficiencies (at design flow) Pipeline at design flow: Turbine at design flow: Drive / coupling: Generator at design flow: Transformer: Transmission: Design System Effy:
91% 75% 95% 90% 100% 100% 58% 38
Pipeline Eff
Turbine Eff
Shaft power kW
30 30 30 30 30 30 28 23 20 16 13 10 8 0 0 0 0 0 0
Generator Eff
Page xi
Abstraction:
% time Normalised flow FDC exceeded l/s 5 103 10 70 15 53 20 44 25 37 30 31 35 27 40 23 45 20 50 18 55 16 60 14 65 12 70 10 75 9 80 8 85 6 90 5 95 4

91% 91% 91% 91% 91% 91% 93% 95% 97% 98% 99% 99% 99% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 75% 75% 75% 75% 75% 75% 76% 75% 75% 75% 75% 75% 74% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0%
Total Available flow flow l/s l/s 590 415 397 271 305 201 250 160 212 132 179 107 153 88 133 72 116 60 102 49 89 40 77 31 68 24 59 17 52 12 44 6 36 0 30 0 23 0
Turbine flow l/s 100 100 100 100 100 100 88 72 60 49 40 31 24 0 0 0 0 0 0
Residual flow l/s 490 297 205 150 112 79 65 60 56 53 49 47 44 59 52 44 36 30 23
Hydraulic power kW 47 47 47 47 47 47 41 34 28 23 19 15 11 0 0 0 0 0 0
Fraction of design flow 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 0.88 0.72 0.60 0.49 0.40 0.31 0.24 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
90% 90% 90% 90% 90% 90% 90% 90% 90% 90% 87% 81% 73% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0%
Electric power kW 28 28 28 28 28 28 25 21 18 15 12 8 6 0 0 0 0 0 0
Available energy kWHr/yr 12,053 12,053 12,053 12,053 12,053 12,053 11,520 10,106 8,476 7,069 5,731 4,355 3,076 0 0 0 0 0 0 122,652
Max. power output at point of use: Down time, expected and forced: Calculated Annual Production: 28 kW 4% 118 MWh
January 2006
1,519,450 m3/year
Dulas Ltd 2004
E4354
23-Mar-06
sq km m m m l/s
Site Name

Hydraulics Gross Head: Head loss for intake screen: Pipe pressure loss (at design flow): Net head at design flow: Turbine design flow: Minimum flow (% of design flow): Minimum flow:
48.5 0.3 4.4 43.8 100 20% 20 50% 10 l/s Generator Rating (kVA): m m m m l/s
Hydrology Catchment Area: Average Annual Rainfall: Evapotranspiration Net Annual Rainfall: Residual flow: Fish Farm Flow:
Q95 and
4.96 1.600 0.450 1.150
91% 75% 95% 90% 100% 100% 58% 38
Pipeline Eff
Turbine Eff
Shaft power kW
30 30 30 30 27 22 18 15 12 10 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Generator Eff
Page xii
Abstraction:
% time Normalised flow FDC l/s exceeded 5 103 10 70 15 53 20 44 25 37 30 31 35 27 40 23 45 20 50 18 55 16 60 14 65 12 70 10 75 9 80 8 85 6 90 5 95 4

91% 91% 91% 91% 93% 96% 97% 98% 99% 99% 100% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 75% 75% 75% 75% 76% 75% 75% 75% 75% 75% 73% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0%
Turbine flow l/s 100 100 100 100 85 68 55 45 37 29 23 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Residual flow l/s 490 297 205 150 128 111 98 88 80 72 66 77 68 59 52 44 36 30 23
90% 90% 90% 90% 90% 90% 90% 89% 85% 80% 72% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0%
Available energy kWHr/yr 12,053 12,053 12,053 12,053 11,361 9,698 7,942 6,482 5,187 4,002 2,915 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 95,799
1,170,464 m3/year
January 2006
Dulas Ltd 2004
E4354
23-Mar-06 Hydraulics Gross Head: Head loss for intake screen: Pipe pressure loss (at design flow): Net head at design flow: Turbine design flow: Minimum flow (% of design flow): Minimum flow:
48.5 0.3 4.4 43.8 100 20% 20 l/s 75% up to ADF 50% above ADF 10 l/s Generator Rating (kVA): m m m m l/s
Site Name

91% 75% 95% 90% 100% 100% 58% 38 sq km m m m
Hydrology Catchment Area: Average Annual Rainfall: Evapotranspiration Net Annual Rainfall: Residual flow: Residual Flow: Fish Farm Flow:
Q95 and Q95 and
4.96 1.600 0.450 1.150
Pipeline Eff
Turbine Eff
Shaft power kW
30 30 30 30 27 10 7 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Generator Eff
Page xiii
Abstraction:

91% 91% 91% 91% 93% 99% 100% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 75% 75% 75% 75% 76% 75% 73% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0%
Turbine flow l/s 100 100 100 100 85 29 23 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Residual flow l/s 490 297 205 150 128 150 131 133 116 102 89 77 68 59 52 44 36 30 23
90% 90% 90% 90% 90% 80% 71% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0%
Available energy kWHr/yr 12,053 12,053 12,053 12,053 11,361 7,020 2,834 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 69,427
845,892 m3/year
January 2006
Dulas Ltd 2004
C.2
Glogue Quarry
Page xiv
January 2006

Flow
Flow Duration Curve - Glogue Quarry
60 80 60 200 180 160 140 120

Page xv
70
80 Flow (l/s) 100 20 40 0

January 2006
90 0 10 20 30 40 %ile 50
100
E4354
50.0 0.7 7.0 42.3 50 15% 8 l/s m m m m l/s
Site Name
Glogue Quarry Site 1

Generator Rating (kVA): 86% 80% 95% 86% 100% 100% 56% 20 sq km m m m
Normalised Hafren Pelton/Turgo 20 kVA Induction
Hydrology Catchment Area: Average Annual Rainfall: Evapotranspiration Net Annual Rainfall: Residual flow: Q95 and 25%
1.49 1.600 0.450 1.150
Pipeline Eff
Turbine Eff
Shaft power kW
16 16 16 16 14 12 10 9 8 6 5 4 4 3 0 0 0 0 0
Generator Eff
Page xvi
Abstraction:

86% 86% 86% 86% 90% 93% 95% 97% 97% 98% 99% 99% 99% 100% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 80% 80% 80% 80% 81% 80% 80% 80% 80% 80% 80% 79% 77% 76% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0%
Turbine flow l/s 50 50 50 50 43 35 29 25 21 18 15 12 10 8 0 0 0 0 0
Residual flow l/s 127 69 42 25 21 19 17 15 14 13 12 11 10 10 16 13 11 9 7
86% 86% 86% 86% 86% 86% 86% 86% 86% 85% 84% 83% 81% 79% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0%
Available energy kWHr/yr 5,941 5,941 5,941 5,941 5,662 4,979 4,231 3,607 3,091 2,626 2,192 1,794 1,436 1,127 0 0 0 0 0 54,508
656,570 m3/year
January 2006
Dulas Ltd 2004
E4354
50.0 0.7 6.0 43.3 37 15% 6 l/s m m m m l/s
Site Name
Glogue Quarry Site 1

Generator Rating (kVA): 88% 80% 95% 85% 100% 100% 56% 15 sq km m m m
Normalised Hafren Pelton/Turgo 15 kVA Induction
Hydrology Catchment Area: Average Annual Rainfall: Evapotranspiration Net Annual Rainfall: Residual flow: Q95 and Q95 and Pipeline Eff Turbine Eff Shaft power kW
12 12 12 11 10 4 4 3 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1.49 1.600 0.450 1.150
75% up to ADF 50% above ADF
Generator Eff
Page xvii
Abstraction:

88% 88% 88% 90% 93% 99% 99% 99% 100% 100% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 80% 80% 80% 81% 81% 80% 79% 78% 77% 76% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0%
Turbine flow l/s 37 37 37 34 28 12 10 8 7 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Residual flow l/s 140 82 55 41 35 42 36 32 28 25 27 23 20 18 16 13 11 9 7
85% 85% 85% 86% 86% 86% 86% 87% 87% 87% 87% 87% 86% 85% 85% 0% 0% 0% 0%
Available energy kWHr/yr 4,410 4,436 4,456 4,360 3,980 2,653 1,473 1,225 1,024 856 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 28,873
340,953 m3/year
January 2006
Dulas Ltd 2004
Appendix D Communications with the Environment Agency
Page xviii
January 2006
Page xix
January 2006
Appendix E Typical Arrangement of a Coanda Screen Intake
Page xx
January 2006

CWM Arian Report Small-Signed

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

CWM Arian Report Small-Signed

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Cymdeithas Cwm Arian Renewable Energy Feasibility Study Report

Cymdeithas Cwm Arian Renewable Energy Feasibility Study Revision 2

Prepared By: Checked By: Approved By:

Stephen Smith Andy Warrington Rod Edwards

Cymdeithas Cwm Arian Renewable Energy Feasibility Study

80000 population 16000 household

Cymdeithas Cwm Arian Renewable Energy Feasibility Study

Cwm Arian Report REV2 .doc E4354

Cymdeithas Cwm Arian Renewable Energy Feasibility Study

Cwm Arian Report REV2 .doc E4354

Cymdeithas Cwm Arian Renewable Energy Feasibility Study

i v v v v vi vii vii vii vii viii viii ix ix xiv xviii xx

Cwm Arian Report REV2 .doc E4354

Cymdeithas Cwm Arian Renewable Energy Feasibility Study

Cwm Arian Report REV2 .doc E4354

Cymdeithas Cwm Arian Renewable Energy Feasibility Study

Figure 1 - Study area and surrounds.

Cwm Arian Report REV2 .doc E4354

Cymdeithas Cwm Arian Renewable Energy Feasibility Study

Cwm Arian Report REV2 .doc E4354

Cymdeithas Cwm Arian Renewable Energy Feasibility Study

Energy Resources and Potential Technologies

21 37 77 119 157 160 157 129 90 52 25 17

43 66 111 138 159 153 154 140 113 87 50 38

Figure 2 - Monthly mean solar irradiance

Cwm Arian Report REV2 .doc E4354

Cymdeithas Cwm Arian Renewable Energy Feasibility Study

Cwm Arian Report REV2 .doc E4354

Cymdeithas Cwm Arian Renewable Energy Feasibility Study

Figure 3 - Solar technologies explained

Figure 4 Site annual mean wind speed

Cwm Arian Report REV2 .doc E4354

Cymdeithas Cwm Arian Renewable Energy Feasibility Study

Figure 5 - Wind technologies explained

Figure 6 - Wind speed variation across the year

Cymdeithas Cwm Arian Renewable Energy Feasibility Study

Cwm Arian Report REV2 .doc E4354

Cymdeithas Cwm Arian Renewable Energy Feasibility Study

Biofuel Energy Potential

Cwm Arian Report REV2 .doc E4354

Cymdeithas Cwm Arian Renewable Energy Feasibility Study

Figure 7 - Bio-fuel technologies explained

Cymdeithas Cwm Arian Renewable Energy Feasibility Study

Cwm Arian Report REV2 .doc E4354

Cymdeithas Cwm Arian Renewable Energy Feasibility Study

Figure 8 - Heat pump technology explained

Cymdeithas Cwm Arian Renewable Energy Feasibility Study

Combined Heat and Power (CHP)

Figure 9 - CHP technology explained

Cymdeithas Cwm Arian Renewable Energy Feasibility Study

Figure 10 - District heating technology explained

Cwm Arian Report REV2 .doc E4354

Cymdeithas Cwm Arian Renewable Energy Feasibility Study

Figure 11 - Monthly precipitation chart for Cwm Arian

Figure 12 - Water technologies explained

Cymdeithas Cwm Arian Renewable Energy Feasibility Study

Cwm Arian Report REV2 .doc E4354

Cymdeithas Cwm Arian Renewable Energy Feasibility Study

Cwm Arian Report REV2 .doc E4354

Cymdeithas Cwm Arian Renewable Energy Feasibility Study

Cwm Arian Report REV2 .doc E4354

Cymdeithas Cwm Arian Renewable Energy Feasibility Study