As part of the Wind Energy End-of-Life Observatory (WEELO), we are using a participatory research approach to gather local knowledge, photographs, documents, and memories to improve our understanding of how wind farms are decommissioned and what remains after closure.
Case 1: Chelker Reservoir Windfarm
The Chelker Reservoir scheme was a four-turbine wind farm located on the northern edge of a reservoir in the Craven District of Yorkshire, near the boundary of the Yorkshire Dales National Park. The original application was regarded as potentially having adverse landscape impacts and attracted some local opposition; these concerns being reflected in the original consent period being limited to just ten years (extended, in 1996, to 25 years). By the late 2000s, the original turbines – a small, early 40m-high two-blade design – had ceased to function effectively. The owners, Yorkshire Water and its subsidiary, made successive attempts to repower the site with larger, more-efficient turbines: first with two 125m high turbines; then three 80m turbines, then finally with two 75m turbines. All failed to gain planning permission on grounds of visual impact on the landscape, proximity to the national park, visibility from important heritage sites and residential amenity. Local opposition had mounted over time and one concern was that the turbines were operating at very low load factors (<10%), being inoperative for large periods of time. The owners moved to decommission the site in 2013, three years before the approved operational life of their planning consent expired, to avert threats of enforcement action by the LPA and to ensure compliance with consent conditions that non-operational turbines should be removed.
While we have gathered substantial information about its development and eventual decommissioning, we are still looking for evidence on what happened after the turbines were removed.
We’re particularly interested in learning:
- Were the concrete foundations left in place, and are they still visible today?
- Where were the turbines and blades sent after decommissioning?
- Do any elements of the access roads remain, and have they been repurposed?
If you have local knowledge, photographs, planning documents, reports, or were involved with the site in any capacity, we would love to hear from you.
Photos by Unknown Author(s) are licensed under the CC BY-SA