Extra sailings help get Stronsay wind farm construction under way
(From The Orcadian dated February 21, 2002)

With one turbine already standing, the Stronsay wind farm could be ready by the end of next week, although the forces of nature it intends to harness could end up delaying the project.

Three 800 kilowatt turbines were being erected at Rothiesholm, after the parts arrived on the North Isles ferries. The turbines will eventually produce enough electricity to power 2,500 homes, or all of the North Isles.

The scheme is being developed by Devon-based Farm Energy whose director, Mr Peter Crone, said that despite a few logistical problems, the main factor that could delay proceedings this week was the wind.

“It is the wind that will defeat us,” he said. “It is only if the wind gets up. We would anticipate they would all be up by the end of next week in which case we would have them commissioned by the middle of March at the latest.”

The practical problems of getting the parts to the site in the south west of the island involved three corners being widened slightly, said Mr Crone.

He said parts for a 160 tonne crane had also been transported along the narrow roads to the site, where it was assembled and used to construct the turbines.

By Monday this week, Orkney Ferries had laid on around half a dozen extra sailings to get the huge parts across to Stronsay.

“We have kept on top of it so much so that they are falling behind us,” said Orkney Ferries manager, Mr Alastair Learmonth.

“We have shipped as much as we could on the scheduled sailings with extra runs in between times.”

The extra sailings were taking place, despite the fact the company were in the middle of their annual refit and one ship down, added Mr Learmonth.

The North Isles ferry Earl Thorfinn is currently away and all the services are being carried out by the Earl Sigurd and Varagen.

Meanwhile, the name Enron – forever to be linked with with the world’s worst bankruptcy – was taken off the turbines this week removing any association with the US energy giant.

The turbine parts were made by the American firm’s German subsidiary Enron Wind, but Mr Crone said the company was now under new ownership.

He said Enron Wind was formed in 1997 when Enron bought and merged two companies, California-based Zond and German company Tacker.

“It is out of the German factory that the turbines have come. They were a fairly short-lived Enron acquisition.”

He added that at least four companies had tried to buy Enron Wind, which enjoyed an excellent reputation.

“Enron Wind will probably no longer exist,” he said. “We are not sure what the new name is going to be yet.”