Re-Powering, Up-Powering & Life Extension

Transcription

1 Re-Powering, Up-Powering & Life Extension 1

2 contents 01 / introduction 02 / overview 03 / our modelling process 04 / initial considerations 05 / modelling outcomes 06 / resulting strategy and delivery 07 / worldwide offices 08 / supporting information WTG technology reviews 2

3 01 / introduction 340+ renewable energy people 21 years industry experience 112+ projects constructed 25 GW+ environmental services 47 GW due diligence portfolio 11 offi ces worldwide 80 GW+ analysis services 7 GW permitting support 155 operational assets managed Natural Power is an independent renewable energy consultancy and services provider with over twenty years of in-house project experience. We provide expertise at every stage of the project lifecycle: from feasibility, development, pre-construction, construction, operations to re-powering, and through all elements of due diligence. Natural Power s 360 lifecycle experience spans more than 800 projects, with a team of over 340 experts. Our approach to consultancy services allows us to focus on reducing interface risk and working smarter from day one of your power project, through: The application of pioneering new technologies, methodologies and best practices to tackle the most complex and challenging issues The provision of project management experience delivering both practical and innovative consulting Building wide and lasting relationships with our clients, who then benefi t from our full lifecycle experience at every stage of their project Providing trusted, impartial due diligence services to fi nancial investors that equal the breadth of services offered to development clients our mission and vision: to create a better environment by providing market leading advice and services to our clients Stephen Trotter, Managing Director 3

4 02 / overview Wind farm owners and operators are used to giving consideration to re-powering a site at the end of its planned life or even earlier. With changes to support regimes, planning policies and processes and the introduction of new technology, such as blade extensions to increase power output from existing turbines, wind farm owners are faced with a more complex range of options to make the most of their asset. We can use our full lifecycle experience and innovation to help weigh the options, develop an optimum strategy and then deliver the goal, be it re-powering, up-powering or simply life extension powering on! Re-Powering Feasibility Operations Development 4 Construction Pre-Construction

5 03 / our modelling process Planning Land Grid Wind turbines & technology Wind resource Site operation Construction & engineering Finance & due diligence 5

6 04 / initial considerations 04.1 / Planning Natural Power has an enviable track record in obtaining planning consent for clients renewable projects, with a success rate of over 95% in relation to MW applied for. The planning issues around re-powering, blade extensions or life extension are potentially complex and require a rounded understanding of policy, existing consents, stakeholder expectations and site constraints, together with an ability to find solutions. Issues to consider will include: Assessing the existing consents and conditions Consideration of local and national policy An understanding of site constraints and changes in baseline since consent Consideration of commitments and undertakings made in s106/s75 agreements, unilateral undertakings etc Community relations and commitments, benefit funds, expectations and opportunities Working with shareholders to ensure a proportionate consenting process 04.2 / Land Land agreements are essential for the success of any potential project. Natural Power s team of qualified chartered surveyors and land agents have been invloved in over 1 GW of land deals. Our team has significant experience of the whole wind farm lifecycle giving us unparalleled knowledge of the interaction of land rights with consenting, construction, operation and decommissioning activities. This knowledge and experience will inform: Consideration of existing lease obligations and the ability to vary terms The requirement to secure any additional land rights for larger components, longer periods and for different uses Consideration of the commercial terms to be offered or renegotiated so as to enable the project under viable terms 6

7 400 kv grid infrastructure 04.3 / Grid Natural Power has its own in-house electrical engineering team, with a wide variety of experience in the power and utilities sector combined with wide ranging experience in design, construction and operation of renewable energy projects. The Natural Power electrical team are involved in a number of projects to increase the utilisation of an existing grid connection. This can be achieved by: installation of additional generation of the same technology installation of generation of an alternative technology modification to existing generation equipment to increase overall capacity Natural Power can also offer assistance in the re-powering of existing developments. The services offered include: Review of existing installation to identify opportunities to reuse plant and equipment Actively participate in discussions with the DNO regarding reuse of the existing grid connection or potential new connection Grid compliance assessment Electrical power system compliance studies Guidance relating to Ofgem accreditation Preliminary design works to facilitate more informed discussions with stakeholders Assist in design review and design interfaces including DNO, BOP and TSA Attend electrical interface and review meetings - chairing where required/requested Act as Owner s Engineer in relation to the electrical elements of the design, construction, connection and commissioning of the project Act as Technical Advisor Develop or review electrical employers requirements for the construction of the project Manage tender process 7

8 04.4 / Wind Turbines & Technology Natural Power can offer a unique perspective on wind turbine technologies through the knowledge we draw from our 360º experience. Not only can we help our clients to select the most suitable technology for a given site, but we know how these technologies perform over the long term from the feedback gained by our operations team, and from the due diligence performed on operational wind farms. We have also amassed knowledge of the true long term operational costs from our on site managers. This allows us to confidently advise on the pros and cons of all options available to an owner when time has come to consider life extension, re-powering, up-powering or decommissioning. Services we can offer include: WTG technology review O&M agreements review and generally OPEX modelling and benchmarking Inspections of operational assets (WTGs, Balance of Plant) Cost benefit assessment of retrofit or other up-powering options Financial modelling of life extension, re-powering, up-powering or decommissioning options resource analysis 8

9 04.5 / Wind Resource Natural Power s expertise in the understanding of wind resource modelling along with extensive operational experience, where the operational performance of multiple vendor turbines across a portfolio of sites has been assessed, allows it to relate site conditions to specific turbine performance issues more effectively. By consolidating this knowledge with state of the art methods and tools, Natural Power is uniquely placed to extract maximum information from long term operational datasets to ensure economic operation in the longer term, or design of the optimal re-powering strategy. While extensive data can be gleaned from operational datasets, older legacy projects may not provide sufficient information to fully understand the site conditions. The use of advanced measurement techniques that include fixed masts combined with remote sensing lidar provide invaluable insight to the conditions throughout the site and crucially above the turbine zone of influence to understand potential gains in wind resource by re-powering with larger turbines. Understanding the wind resource combined with careful layout design is critical to the success of wind projects. Extending measured wind climates through advanced modelling enables very high levels of confidence in the wind resource as well as the capability to map out areas to avoid where wind quality parameters may lead to poor turbine performance, or in the worst case, failure. We can ensure that next generation re-powered sites operate with better efficiencies and higher returns than first generation projects by employing a number of tools and techniques, including: Site feasibility resource analysis Wind speed mapping Energy optimisation through site design Indicative energy assessments Environmental curtailment modelling Creation of inputs to visual impact assessments such as wireframes, photomontages and ZTV mapping Finance Grade Energy Yield Analysis (EYA) Long-term wind resource assessment Long-term resource modelling and mapping of the development area using linear and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) models Detailed site and layout optimisation Probability analysis Site classification including routine assessment of site compliance against recognised international wind turbine design criteria Project risk assessment, offering advice and unique solutions for more challenging sites 9

10 04.6 / Site Operation When considering opportunities for re-powering, retrofitting or extending the operational life of wind farms, Natural Power are uniquely placed to draw on over 12 years of hands-on operational wind farm experience, including site management, wind farm control and dispatch, energy production assessment and detailed performance analysis. This experience is used to inform many of the technical and non-technical issues that are relevant in relation to re-powering and life extension, including: Assessment of contractual terms (TSA, WOM) in relation to future asset operation Turbine health and reliability assessments of existing assets to inform life-extension cost benefit and cost of energy studies Defining and delivering maintenance regimes to maximise turbine life Managing ongoing stakeholder relationships at site and in the community Managing the implementation of plans for up-powering or life extension through integrated site and service management provision turbine inspections 10

11 turbine tower base 04.7 / Construction & Engineering Natural Power has been involved in the site investigation, design and construction of over 10GW of onshore wind farms. From our experience on these global projects, we have developed our construction teams to be extremely knowledgeable in assessing and designing to suit various site conditions and managing processes and contracts to deliver a cost optimised wind farm. Our staff are qualified to recommend the services that can be beneficial to owners when considering the next phase for their wind farm whether that is decommissioning, up-powering or re-powering. Some of these services include: Capex we have a wealth of knowledge relating to the costs and risks associated with construction which can be utilised in financial models to inform investment decisions Decommissioning preparation of decommissioning reports and method statement, negotiation of bonds and contracts, project management and site restoration Forensic Engineering we have in-house civil, structural and geotechnical engineering specialists with the capability of reviewing existing wind farm infrastructure and advise on its suitability for incorporating within an up-powering or re-powering project Mechanical Inspection we undertake turbine and blade inspections to assess the current life of the turbine and the requirements for repair, replacement or upgrading 04.8 /Finance & Due Diligence Natural Power will ensure that the preparation for effective due diligence for any project or portfolio takes place right at the start, and will be reviewed at any major change. By ensuring that the synergies are recognised and mitigation of any issues are dealt with early, then the process for reaching financial close will be based upon firmer values and with less risk. Whether you are the developer, IPP, utility, bank lender, investment fund or other financial interest in a repower project or portfolio, you can thereby ensure that the transaction value (for financial close / sale / purchase) is optimised and any project risk is minimised and managed. Natural Power has global experience of delivering due diligence on a vast number of projects, so fully understands the risks and mitigation that funders and purchasers will be looking for. Using our 360º experience we can work with clients to manage projects in such a way as to ease the funding process and add value. 11

12 05 / modelling outcomes We will work closely with you to input into your financial model, or to adapt our own model to meet your investment needs. Weighing up the output from financial modelling of the various scenarios and the risks and opportunities attached to each will then inform a decision on the optimum strategy going forward. Accurate financial modelling will be increasingly important as the industry moves toward a subsidy free world. Points to consider include: Development costs Decommissioning costs Capex Opex Revenue Risk Sensitivity analysis Comparative analysis 12

13 06 / resulting strategy and delivery Implementation of the agreed strategy in an efficient and cost effective way is key to realising the goals and benefits of a re-powering, up-powering or life extension project, particularly in the light of reducing financial support for renewables. Natural Power can offer a seamless package of services to deliver the agreed optimum strategy, whichever option is chosen, from feasibility, screening and scoping, through EIA and planning consent to construction management and O&M. We can manage the entire process or work with your in-house team of existing advisers to feed in specialist elements as required. Throughout the process we will draw upon our 360º experience to ensure that what we design is consentable, what we consent is buildable, what we build is operable and what we operate is profitable. experienced in-house experts 13

14 14 WTG technology

15 07 / worldwide offi ces Natural Power delivers services and operates assets globally for our clients, with eleven offi ces across Europe and North America and agencies active in South America and Asia Pacifi c. USA Saratoga Springs Seattle SCOTLAND Castle Douglas (Global HQ) Stirling Inverness ENGLAND Newcastle London IRELAND Dublin WALES Aberystwyth CHILE Valparaiso [Agency] FRANCE Paris Nantes TURKEY Ankara [Agency] 15

16 08 / supporting information Health & Safety Natural Power operates a Safe System of Work procedure, this procedure outlines the requirements and guidelines required for safety in the workplace and mitigation of risk. Health & safety is the number one priority for Natural Power both from an operational and management point of view. The safety of our staff, contractors, and the public must come before any technical or commercial considerations. In accordance with statutory requirements, for all routine and non-routine activities undertaken by employees and others working on behalf of Natural Power, a risk assessment must be undertaken and suffi cient controls introduced to manage the risk. Method statements are activity specifi c and are prepared where their absence would adversely affect the ability to exercise the controls identifi ed by risk assessment. The ControlCentre is an industry leading innovation providing 24/7 monitoring and communication services through trained operatives in our control room, ensuring our fi eld staff have round the clock access to log on and off of the remote / lone working system. This combined with our hand-held SPOT devices ensures staff members working in the fi eld have a safe environment to operate in. Quality Natural Power has established rigorous procedures and work instructions for all aspects of our business. All staff currently work to a list of core procedures for quality control and business management as part of our on-going commitment to our Quality Management System (QMS). A totally integrated project management system is used throughout all departments, that includes fi le tracking and back-up along with resource management, document checking and authorisation, providing a full audit trail for all documents and project activities. All data and reports are subject to a minimum two stage quality assurance process in line with ISO 9001:2008 procedures where documents are produced by a technical specialist then checked by another specialist before being checked and approved by a senior manager, ensuring a consistently high quality output to clients at all times. Our asset management, construction and ecology management group, technical services and development consultancy services have all achieved the ISO 9001:2008 certifi cation and Achilles Verify Category B2. Full details of our QMS are available on request. 16

17 Environment Natural Power has internal goals with regards to environmental practice relating to energy use, carbon footprint reduction and recycling. We have had an Environmental Management System (EMS) in place since 2001 and have progressed our EMS to an integrated Quality and Environmental Management System and now hold ISO 14001:2004 certifi cation. All policies and arrangements are reviewed on an annual basis by our Quality and Environmental Manager and the management team. The processes required for the Quality and Environmental Management System, their sequence and interaction have been identifi ed along with the criteria and methods required to ensure their effective operation and control. All subcontractors would be expected to work to the Natural Power Environmental Policy Statement; evidence of this is required on appointment. Before each project commences an environmental risk assessment is carried out covering all aspects required for the scope of work. Disaster recovery Natural Power recognises the need for our clients projects to have robust systems and processes in place to ensure that data, documents and key staff continuity are retained in the event of a major incident. Natural Power s electronic Document Management System ensures that project documents are stored in a secure and ordered location on a central server which is backed up regularly to off-site storage. All s are archived in a cloud based system which allows recovery of deleted mail and also provides continuity in the event of a failure of Natural Power s servers or internet connection. Hard copies of key documents are stored in a fi reproof safe. Multiple offi ce locations assist in provision of continuity in the event of a major incident, such as fi re, affecting any particular location. 17

18 what we do Leading independent renewable energy consultancy Analysis, engineering, planning & permitting, environmental, project management and due diligence services Onshore wind, offshore renewables, solar, hydro, renewable heat and grid & infrastructure Established in 1995, 11 offi ces globally, 340+ staff For full details on our ISO and other certifications, please visit: naturalpower.com/company No part of this document or translations of it may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying, recording or any other information storage and retrieval system, without prior permission in writing from Natural Power. All facts and fi gures correct at time of print. All rights reserved. Copyright naturalpower.com 18