Glens of Foudland Wind Farm Visit
Thursday 18th May 2006

On Thursday 18th May several members of the EIC renewables forum met at the Innovation Centre prior to a field visit to Glens of Foudland Wind Farm.

The Glens of Foudland Wind Farm is located close to Huntly, Aberdeenshire in the North East of Scotland. The wind farm was built in 2004/2005 in a bid to meet the Scottish Executive's commitment to reducing emissions, which aims to have 40% of the country's electricity supplied from renewable sources by 2020. It consists of one substation and twenty turbines. Each turbine is rated at 1.3 megawatts and is 47 metres high with a reinforced glassfibre rotor diameter of 62 metres. The wind farm will generate electricity equivalent to the annual needs of over 13,000 homes.

The day started with a short presentation from the EIC’s Business Information Director, Phil Goddard. He gave a brief round up of the current renewables projects and up-to-date renewables news. At 9.30am the group were taken by bus to Glens of Foudland Wind Farm. En route we met up with AREG’s, Communications Manager, David Rodger, who came in place of AREG’s, Renewables Champion, Iain Todd, who was unfortunately unwell. We also met with Centrica’s, Renewables Project Engineer, Paul Blunden, who was to be our guide for the day. Once we arrived he gave us an extensive tour. This gave everyone many good photo opportunities. Whilst on the tour we were given full background information on Glens of Foudland Wind farm and an overview of other Centrica renewables projects in particular, wind farms.

This visit certainly took our renewables forum members to the heart of where renewable energy happens. It brought everything that they have seen and heard about wind farms to life. We hope to run many more field visits of this nature. Everyone returned from the visit with lots of praise for our guide, Paul Blunden, and for being given the experience of the trip.

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