Chandlers Country Properties were granted planning permission for a wind turbine development on their land next to Lindal Business Park in December 2013. The wind turbine has been developed to power the business park and resident candle factory, which is a heavy user of electricity, utilising over 1300MW of electricity per annum. The wind turbine is capable of generating between 1300MW and 2400MW of electricity per year depending on the wind speed. The wind turbine can therefore directly offset power usage at the business park, with energy cost savings estimated at 25-30%, helping to ensure the long term security of the business park and its employees. The wind turbine received significant local support on these grounds.

Carter Jonas were initially appointed to assist with securing Ofgem preliminary accreditation for the wind turbine development, which needed to be submitted prior to the 31 December 2013 to secure the Feed-In Tariff. Subsequently we were retained to advise, assist and manage the £1.3 million wind turbine development through to successful operation. This included assistance with the appointment and management of contractors; advice on turbine supply agreement and operation & maintenance terms, including contract negotiation and review; advice and arrangement of project insurance cover; negotiation and arrangement of power purchase and metering agreements; Ofgem accreditation; and general project management support and assistance throughout the project.

The wind turbine development presented several challenges. The existing grid connection at the business park had to be replaced to enable the new supply, and the electrical works to enable the connection were extensive, with over 3km of new cabling and earthing installed. To allow delivery of the turbine to the site parking restrictions were required, traffic lights had to be temporarily removed and vehicles were routed on contraflow with police escorts. Despite these complexities, the development was successfully built and began operating within 10 months of receiving approval.