Garvagh Glebe, a 26MW wind farm in Leitrim, made a loss of € 3.5 million last year and has racked up combined losses of € 5.6 million after nine years. In 2017, it had a load factor of 23% after it's availability dropped to 59%. This means it was out of operation for 40% of the year and when it was operating only running on average at 23% of it's potential output.
The wind farm was completely dependent on funding from it's shareholder ESB to continue operating for another 12 months. This makes a complete mockery of the idea that renewables are competing against fossil fuels. ESB, which owns most of the fossil fuel power stations in the country, can only maintain investment in it's loss making wind farms with funding from it's more profitable fossil fuel power sector.
In 2008, during construction of the wind farm, 6,000 fish, mainly trout, were killed when tonnes of peat swept through the Owengar river which runs into Lough Allen. A similar incident occurred in Co.Galway during construction of another ESB owned Derrybrien wind farm where around 50,000 fish were killed.
6 wind turbines type used on this wind farm have been decommissioned in Denmark after 8 years.This particular wind farm has been in operation 8 years. This would indicate that the reason for such a poor performance is that the wind turbines are at the end of their effective life. When the financial justification for investing in this particular wind farm was produced. It would be a safe bet to assume an effective operational life of 20 years could be achieved, Most the propaganda from advocates of wind renewables claim an average 20 year effective operational life for wind turbines.But in the Danish Data we see extreme variation in actual wind turbine performance.This effectively dismisses the propaganda claim of the wind industry that it is cheaper than fossil production.All wind industry reports or analysis that use an expected operational wind turbine life of 20 years should also be discounted. As not reflecting actual wind turbine performance reality.
ReplyDeleteThe rap on the knuckles for the fish kill was very gentle. Lucky that it was not a farmer who was responsible, or there would have been hell to pay! One wonders whether the Kilronan Wind Farm and the Derrysallagh Wind Farm that wish to connect to the substation at Garvagh Glebe will do any better.
ReplyDeleteSee https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/sligo-windfarm-works-halted-following-high-court-ruling-789450.html
Great to see that the PPN network in Leitrim is distributing largesse from Garvagh Glebe to needy community projects. The awards presented at Arigna Mining Experience on Wednesday the 3rd of October 2018 include:
• Drumkeerin Clay Pigeon Shooting Club
• Drumkeerin Friendship Club (Active Age)
• Drumkeerin GAA Club
• Drumkeerin Tourist and Development Company Ltd
• Drumkeerin Community Family Festival
• Drumkeerin St Patrick’s Day Committee
• Drumkeerin Youth Club
• Glen Development Group
• Newbridge School House Development
• South Leitrim Regional Game Council
• Rowanberry Enterprises Company Ltd
• Drumstrand Community Partnership CLG (T/A Lough Allen Education Centre)
• Dromahair Development Association/Tidy Towns
• Dromahair Arts and Recreation Centre Association CLG
• Jollytots Community Creche
• Ardvarney Parents Association
• John McKenna Traditional Music Society
The funding is a part of the Black Banks, Carrane Hill, Garvagh Glebe and Tullynahaw Wind Farm Community Funds, which aim to provide financial support to local groups. Big wheel keep on turning!
Back on the hill, the application for Substitute Consent i.e., retention of grid connection cables by Derrysallagh Wind Farm Limited remains before the Board (PL21.300811)with the stats shown as "Case is due to be decided by 05/09/2018". This mega wind farm development does not look as attractive as it did a year ago.
"This mega wind farm does not looks attractive as it did a year ago" It is very unlikely that any mega wind farm will ever recover its costs.There will be no return on investment on any large scale wind farm.The technology is not stable nor reliable. The Swedish Accident Investigation Authority( Statens haverikommission) identified significant design weaknesses in 3 megawatt wind turbine. That collapsed after 3 years. Wind shear over trees is much more severe than is considered in wind turbine design. The Danish data shows that there is very little predictability in wind turbine durability, So the I.W.E.A can claim in their various studies that wind turbines can last 20+ years. Wind farm developments may be financially justified assuming 20+ years relatively stable output. But the actual data says other wise. The data says that the only wind turbines that can reliably last 20+ are those with an output capacity of lower than 300 kilowatts.So the industry is justifying investment over a 20+ year life with predictable output . But reality not agreeing with their assumptions very few multi megawatt mega wing farms will ever make an adequate profit. The question then is who picks up the losses?.Indeed the much floated idea that we can become 100% supplied by renewables is more than sick joke. It is impossible
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