SSE Renewables has finished decommissioning the last remaining test turbine at the Hunterston National Offshore Turbine Test Facility in North Ayrshire, Scotland.
Following six years of testing, the 6MW Siemens turbine was safely brought down to the ground with minimum local disruption in an operation by lead decommissioning contractor Keltbray, according to the utility.
The operation involved a controlled felling using explosive charges.
The Hunterston National Offshore Turbine Test Facility has been instrumental over the past six years in providing key data and testing technology which enabled the deployment of 84 turbines at Beatrice Offshore Windfarm in the Moray Firth.
At 588MW and built in depths of up to 60 metres in the North Sea, 13km off the coast of Caithness, Beatrice is Scotland’s largest offshore wind farm.
SSE Renewables operations director Jeremy Williamson said: “Scotland has been at the forefront of innovation in renewable energy for the past two decades, and the Siemens turbine at Hunterston has played an important role in that innovation.
“While it is always with a twinge of sadness that we see a piece of engineering such as Hunterston decommissioned, we can also look forward with optimism to the exciting opportunities that lie ahead for the renewables sector in Scotland.
In the last week, SSE Renewables has secured a UK Government contract that will enable it to develop its 1075MW Seagreen offshore wind project in the Firth of Forth.
“Finally, I would like to thank everyone involved in the decommissioning at Hunterston today for their role in ensuring that the project was completely safely and with minimum stakeholder disruption. It has been another excellent example of teamwork,” Williamson added.
The wind farm operator originally intended to dismantle the components of the turbine by crane. However, a suitable method of doing so safely could not be established.
As a result, it was agreed by all parties involved in the project that the safest method possible for decommissioning the unit in the timeframe required under planning conditions was to utilise a controlled felling.
SSE Renewables Hunterston project manager Ross Cowie said: “I’m very pleased that we have been able to safely complete the decommissioning of the last remaining test turbine at Hunterston.”
Over the coming weeks the turbine will be dismantled and removed from site as part of ongoing works to decommission the overall facility and, where possible, components will be processed for re-use.
The site will be handed back to landowner Peel Ports.