The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC)  has recently published details of the latest position on projects which have recently been considered for consent. We give a summary of the main points below.

 

 

Wind - Onshore

 

The DECC has recently received the following applications for onshore wind farms:

• An onshore wind farm power station of up to 299 MW at Pen y Cymoedd, Neath from Pen y Cymoedd Wind Farm Ltd (Nuon Renewables Ltd); and
• A 51 MW onshore wind farm power station at Carno, Powys from Independent Power Systems Ltd.
  

 

Wind - Offshore

 

Applications for Electricity Act consent have been submitted in respect of two projects in the Greater Wash Round 2 strategic area: a 560MW plant by Dudgeon, the proposed site of which lies some 32km north of Cromer, and a 245MW plant by Westermost Rough, which would be located some 8km off Tunstall on the Yorkshire coast.

 

The 90MW Rhyl Flats wind farm was officially opened by the Secretary of State for Wales, the Rt Hon Peter Hain MP, on 2 December 2009.

 

The Gunfleet Sands (I and II) (172MW) and Robin Rigg (180MW) projects have already generated electricity (although are not yet fully operational) while the Greater Gabbard (500MW) and Thanet (300MW) projects are under construction.

 

Safety zones have been approved around the structures that form the Greater Gabbard and Sheringham Shoal offshore wind farms. The DECC is also dealing with a safety zone application submitted in respect of the Wave Hub device off the north coast of Cornwall, and with a decommissioning programme submitted in relation to the Walney offshore wind farm.

 

Energy from Waste and Biomass

 

DECC has consented the following EfW/Biomass power stations:

• A 295 MW Biomass power station at the Teesside Renewable Energy Plant , Teesside to MGT Teesside Ltd on 15 July 2009;
• A 95 MW Energy from Waste power station at Ince, Cheshire to Peel Environmental Ince Ltd on 11 August 2009;
• A 60 MW Biomass/EfW power station at Tilbury Docks, Essex to Tilbury Green Power Ltd on 27 August 2009; and
• A 79 MW Biomass/EfW power station at Fengate, Peterborough to Renewable Energy Ltd on 4 November 2009.

 

It is currently consulting on new applications:

• A 290 MW Biomass power station in Selby, North Yorkshire from Drax Biomass (Selby) Ltd – received July 2009;
• A 150 MW Biomass power station at Royal Portbury Dock, North Somerset from E.ON UK plc – received August 2009;
• A 299 MW Biomass power station at Holyhead, Anglesey from Anglesey Aluminium – received September 2009;
• A 290 MW Biomass power station at Immingham, North Lincolnshire from Drax Biomass (Immingham) Ltd – received October 2009; and
• A 108 MW Biomass and EfW power station at Ferrybridge, West Yorkshire from SSE Generation Ltd – received October 2009.

 

The Planning Act

 

Six draft energy National Policy Statements (NPSs) were launched in November for consultation. These set out how the Infrastructure Planning Commission (IPC) should apply current energy policy to applications for development consent.

 

The Infrastructure Planning Commission is on track to begin receiving applications for major energy infrastructure projects from 1 March. The second round of recruitment for Commissioners is in progress and the IPC are dealing with twelve requests for scoping reports, eleven of which are for energy projects.