Cnoc Windfarms LtdCnoc Windfarms Ltd
Presented by Thomas Cooke
Director
Company
• Locally owned and developed
• 4 partners
• 3 are landowners
• Self financed and developed
LOCATION
On Tipperary Kilkenny Border
Highest point on Slieveardagh Hills 340 metres elevation
Planning History
• Planning lodged in 2001 for 17 turbines 600 kw each 10.2 MW, full EIS etc by Fehily Timoney.
• Granted by South Tipperary County Council• Refused by ABP in 2002, main reason was
visibility on nearby Cistercian Abbey• (Inspectors report mentioned no need for
onshore wind farms as Ireland could meet its 500MW target from the Arklow Bank offshore wind farm!)
Planning Contd.
• Revised planning application in 2009 for 5 x 2.3MW turbines,4 have 65 metre hub height and 1, 55 metre hub all with 70m diameter blades total installed capacity 11.5MW
• EXTENSIVE consultations with state agencies etc. • Full EIS etc by Eamon O’Domhnaill Aeolas• New EIA guidelines arrived mid planning• Again granted by South Tipperary County Council and
appealed to ABP by third parties• ABP granted planning on a majority decision on March
2011, no onerous planning conditions
Grid Connection
• Applied for Grid in 2005
• Missed Gate 2
• In Gate 3
• H1 Thurles Node
• Got Grid offer March 2011 same week as ABP granted Planning!
• Accepted Grid offer in November 2011
Grid Connection Contd.
• Grid offer connection to Thurles OHL in association with two other wind farms in Blanchfield sub group c.35MW total
• Unfeasible to build OHL due principally to planning timescale, 63 landowners, 24 km, 3 Local Authorities
• Currently applying for modification to UHL with Blanchfield Group
Wind resource
• Two masts on site
• 30 metre radio mast operating for a few years
• 65m lattice mast erected by Lynx Metmasts in 2011
• Wind speed 8.5m/s +
• Lynx Mast• 65 metre • Lattice • Guyed • Ammonit logger • Web access to
logger data• Theiss
anenometer
• Head for heights
Projected costs
• C. €15 – €16m
Build date
• Start construction 2014
Current work
• Due diligence
• Land leases
• Engaging with banks
• Access issues
• Wind data analysis
Consultants
• Aeolas - Planning • Connellan and associates – Planning• Poe Kiely Hogan Lanigan – Legal• O’Neill Foley – Company Accountants• Mullan Grid – Grid Connection• Irish Wind Farmers Cooperative – Financial• EMD - Wind analysis
The last word
Persistence !