Issues around grid connection will be a focus for the Renewables Development Initiative’s (RDI) next open day, being staged near Cupar in Fife.
The event is being hosted by Ian Crombie, and his farm manager John Wilson at West Hall Farm – part of Over Rankeilour Farms – on Monday 23 February. Starting at 10.00am, visitors will be able to see the farm’s biomass boiler, its wind turbine and its heat pump in action. Workshops looking at the technology on display will also be held.
The 225KW wind turbine has been operational for more than a year but the export capacity on it is limited to 150kW due to grid network constraints. As part of the open day, specific focus will be given to the grid connection problems and the novel solution of how the farm uses its excess electricity to dry woodchip via a bespoke drying system.
The woodchip, in turn, helps power the 150kW biomass boiler which provides heat to the farm house, office and two properties for seasonal workers.
The visit to West Hall is part of the Union’s three-year RDI project, designed to provide sound, independent advice to farmers and land managers across Scotland on renewable energy. Through a programme of on-farm events, co-ordinated by Thomas McMillan of Smiths Gore, the initiative has already shown hundreds of Scottish farmers energy projects that are contributing to farm businesses or are at the planning stage. On-farm days held in 2014 looked at wind, solar, biomass, gasification, hydro, biodiesel, heat pumps and anaerobic digestion. Workshops built around the events have brought in experts to cover elements such as finance, construction, grid connection and community schemes.
Further RDI events will be held in Ellon, Aberdeenshire and Lesmahagow, Lanarkshire in May.
