Client: Garth Wind Farm

Date: 4th quarter of 2016

Laying access road, clearing the site from peat, cable trench works and supporting Client.

EMN Plant was the main contractor for the Garth Wind Farm development project, to install five 900 KW wind turbines for North Yell Development Council.

The community project will see a susbstanial income for the Island of Yell over the next 20 years. EMN Plant was the balance of plant contractor for the roads, turbine bases and the electrical scope.

The project encountered some issues which meant lead to delays getting on site, however EMN was able to accelerate the programme of works to ensure that the turbines could still be erected in time to catch the feed in tarriff.

Our team laid 2km of access roads through the hill, which involved using special membranes and a floating road to minimise the amounts of peat to be removed. The discarded peat was taken to the former Gutcher quarry which EMN gained planning and SEPA permision for.

The roads were built in under 60 days in keeping with the accelerated works programme.

In addition, EMN Plant provided concrete for the foundations of the turbines. An on-site concrete batching plant was set up specifically for the job, and 160 cubic meters of concrete was produced for the foundation of each turbine.

Additional services included the cable trench works between turbines, connection to the local grid and block building a sub-station, as well as obtaining all permissions. Bryan Rendall from Orkney was the electrical subcontractor.

The turbines bases were completed in 23 days, an achievement made possible by EMN Plant's streamlined planning, increased working hours and providing an additional workforce.

Once the loans have been repaid the profit from the wind farm will go towards community developments in the north of Yell.