Objective The aim of the project is to build and operate a 5 MW windfarm using the newly developed Vestas 500 kW wind turbines and to gain experience of them. The windfarm is being developed by a large industrial energy consumer i.e. a 450,000 tpa cement factory. It is also the aim of the project to gain knowledge of the problems inherent in constructing and operating a windfarm in difficult terrain so that the process can be repeated more cost effectively in the future. Dissemination, to a targeted audience, of the knowledge gained from the project will also be an objective. This will enable the further development of wind energy technology on the island of Ireland and throughout the EC. The windfarm is expected to generate approximately 12.5 GWh per year.The project involves the development of a 5 MW windfarm on Slieve Rushen, a small isolated hill on the south-western boundary of Northern Ireland. Ten 500 kW wind turbines will be installed on the site.Slieve Rushen is a 403 metre hill with steep slopes on all sides. The summit area is relatively flat and extensive and has good exposure to wind from all directions. The hill has a covering of peat, about 2 metres in depth, on top of rock. The topography is typical of that which would be encountered on most sites on the island of Ireland that would have potential for windfarm development. The turbines will be laid out in one line across the site, perpendicular to the prevailing south-westerly wind. Each of the turbines will be 40.5 metres high (hub height) with a rotor diameter of 39 metres.The turbines are the latest technology from Vestas of Denmark - the V39-500 kW wind turbine generator. Development of the V39 started in early 1990, when it became clear that the trend towardslarger machines was going to continue. Several different design routes were investigated, but the "traditional " Vestas design was finally chosen : 3 blades, pitch-regulated, upwind rigid machine. The first prototype was installed in July 1991 next to Vestas' main factory in Lem, Denmark and thoroughly tested during the first months. A further prototype was installed in Tehachapi, California in December 1991 incorporating some of the changes found necessary on unit 1. July 1992, a third prototype was erected in the Californian desert near Palm Springs. The combined experiences from all these prototypes, erected under very different climatic and environmental conditions, were incorporated in the first serially produced V39-500 kW turbines of which the first was installed in November 92.The V39 can be considered a further development of its predecessors - the Vestas V27 - 225 kW and the Windane 34 - 400 kW. Although they form the basis of the V39, major technological leaps have been made, particularly in the blade design and the gearbox.The blades are extremely lightweight owing to both new design, new materials and new production techniques all designed and manufactured entirely by Vestas.The gearbox was developed in cooperation with the German gearbox manufacturer to combine the need for a small strong, lightweight and less noisy gearbox. Programme(s) ENG-THERMIE 1 - Programme (EEC) for the promotion of energy technology in Europe (THERMIE), 1990-1994 Topic(s) Data not available Call for proposal Data not available Funding Scheme DEM - Demonstration contracts Coordinator SEAN QUINN GROUP LTD EU contribution No data Address DERRYLIN CO. FERMANAGH BT AU Ireland See on map Total cost No data
