Oil giant to move into wind power (From Western Telegraph)

Oil giant to move into wind power

Plans have been unveiled for the erection of four 85 metre high wind turbines at the Total refinery site, Milford Haven.

The development will involve a £16 million investment by the international energy company.

It will also add to Pembrokeshire's growing role as Wales' top energy centre.

The wind turbines will create a 'green' oasis among the Milford Haven Waterway's oil refineries, LNG terminals and proposed gas-fired power stations.

This is part of Total's response to those conservationists who have long been warning of the negative effects of greenhouse gases, exacerbated by the burning of fossil fuels, and to other experts who warn that oil and gas supplies could start to run out in as little as ten years.

The four turbines will be just outside the refinery operation area, but on the company's land. Two turbines and a sub station will be located on the Herbrandston side, and the other two on the Thornton side.

One will fall just inside the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park boundary.

Like the recent Bluestone development, two parallel planning applications will have to be submitted to the County Council and National Park planners.

This is likely to be done in September, with a decision expected in early 2006. If the go ahead is given, construction work will start by the end of the year.

A small number of temporary jobs would be created during the construction period, but the maintenance of the machines may well be absorbed within the refinery's operations.

The four turbines could begin generating electricity from the summer of 2007.

They will all connect up to existing power lines, and green electricity will be sold to one of the major power companies.

The modern machines will have blades 60 metres long, set on towers 85 metres high, and they have the capability of producing enough electricity to meet the needs of 11,000 homes - more than in Milford Haven.

They will be among the tallest in the UK, but they will be set against the industrial backcloth of the refinery.

Said Bob Emmerson, the refinery's general services manager: "Total has gained valuable experience from its wind farm development at Dunkirk in France and the company believes that the development at Milford Haven can bring the local area a new source of energy.

"We see these turbines making an important contribution to the generation of safe clean electricity in Pembrokeshire."

Total says that the output of the turbines will result in a significant reduction of carbon dioxide emissions from conventional power stations - more than 27,000 tonnes annually.

Could the new development be the forerunner to a small windfarm on the site?

The company says 'no' as it does not have enough land and such a development would have to be commercially viable.