About this Event
What is the proposed project?
A community-owned wind turbine & small solar farm, near Codrington.
Who’s proposing it?
Bristol Energy Coop (BEC), a not-for-profit community benefit society. BEC’s mission is to reduce carbon emissions and to empower local communities as we transition to renewable energy.
This not only includes developing new community energy projects, but also providing sustainability grants to local organisations, and taking action at a wider level to strengthen communities and build support for renewables.
Who will own it?
Bristol Energy Coop is proposing to fund the project through community fundraising and ethical loans. There will be an opportunity for local people to invest in this project - or in BEC as a whole - in the form of community shares or bonds. Each person who invests in a share raise becomes a part owner of BEC’s projects and has an equal say in how the cooperative is run.
How did the project come about?
Bristol Energy Coop has experience operating solar farms and developing rooftop solar projects (since 2011). The climate & nature emergencies have led BEC to seek new opportunities for renewable energy, with a particular focus on community-scale projects which could power a few hundred homes.
Several landowners were contacted and various sites reviewed to check their suitability. Of these, Springs Farm stood out as having excellent potential for both wind and solar.
Why are wind & solar being considered?
Wind and solar tend to generate at different times, so combining the two technologies can help to maximise the energy generation from the site, making best use of the available land and the limited grid capacity. For this reason we would love to include both, however it’s possible that we will need to focus on wind only, in order to improve financial viability.
What makes this a suitable location?
The site is well suited to wind & solar for various reasons. The wind speeds are good and there is plenty of space available, well away from houses, roads and trees. Visually, the wind turbine will be in keeping with an existing turbine on the other side of the M4, and visibility of the solar farm from public areas will be quite limited. The land is of low agricultural quality (Grade 4), currently used for growing grass.
What scale of wind turbine is proposed?
We are considering two options:
- 179m tip height (4MW) generating 14,200,000 kWh per year
- 150m tip height (2MW) generating 4,500,000 kWh per year
Both options are subject to grid connection works, which we are investigating in detail.
What are the key benefits?
The larger wind turbine is expected to generate enough renewable electricity to power around 4700 homes, and would provide around £35,000 in community benefits in the first year.
It is estimated that the alternative turbine will generate enough renewable electricity to power around 1500 homes, and would provide around £14,400 in community benefits in the first year.
In both cases the community benefit fund would increase annually with inflation.
All surplus revenue will be directed towards community benefit funds and new community energy projects. During the community consultation process we’ll be seeking views on how best to distribute these funds to benefit the local area. This usually includes making available advice and help to local households who are struggling with energy bills.
As the project will be community-owned, community shareholders and bondholders will receive interest payments on their investment which is likely to be around 6%.
We also aim to improve biodiversity at the site, following advice from our ecologists, with an aim of significantly exceeding planning requirements. This is expected to include a new area of species-rich grassland alongside the stream to the north of the site. Any biodiversity areas would be maintained for at least 30 years.
What will the project look like?
The wind turbine will be similar in appearance but taller than to the existing turbine on the other side of the M4. The blades will rotate slowly, completing a full rotation every few seconds. At the base of the turbine there will be an area of hardstanding, to allow for construction and future maintenance.
The solar panels will be black, mounted in rows facing due south, with a height of around 3 metres. The grassland between rows and around the array will be managed to provide benefits for wildlife. There will also be a stone access track serving both the wind turbine and solar array.
Where will the electricity end up?
The electricity generated will connect straight into the electrical grid, however we are also exploring options for ‘virtually’ connecting the electricity to local homes or businesses, which may allow consumers to save on their energy bills when the project is generating. There are some complex challenges around this to do with sector regulations, but we’ll be doing our best to find a solution if we can, as we feel this would be a perfect fit for community energy.
What stage is the project at?
Once we complete our grid connection investigations, we will make a decision on which option to take forward into planning.
As well as reviewing the scale of the project, we have also been working on a number of studies that will support a planning application for the selected project. These include Agricultural Land Classification, ecological assessments, landscape assessments, a topographical survey, and a noise assessment.
How to get in touch
If you’re a member of the local community in this area or represent a local organisation, we would love to hear from you.
In particular we would welcome your thoughts on:
- Project design & biodiversity
- Local community needs related to energy
- Local community organisations we should contact
- Upcoming events where we could speak to local residents about the project
Alternatively, feel free to simply provide your contact details so we can keep you up to date with our consultations and project progress.
To contact us, please email [email protected] and one of our team will be in touch.
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Dodington Parish Council, Finch Road, Chipping Sodbury, United Kingdom
GBP 0.00
