Burgar Hill Energy, a joint venture between Thrive Renewables and Burgar Hill Renewables, has taken ownership from RWE of two 2.5MW Nordex N80 wind turbines at the Burgar Hill onshore wind farm. The partners each already own a turbine at the site.
Three turbines were initially installed at Burgar Hill when it was selected as one of the first locations in the UK to test wind electricity generation. There was one 200kW turbine, one 300kW turbine and one of the world’s first 3MW grid-connected turbines.
Currently there are six turbines on Burgar Hill, producing approximately 12.5MW. Five are on land owned by Burgar Hill Renewables Limited, and they have a total capacity of 11MW. The acquisition is a step in a wider initiative to upgrade the site in Orkney by replacing these five turbines with larger and more efficient models.
The current proposal, subject to obtaining necessary planning consents, is for five turbines with tip heights of up to 149.9m, with a total capacity of 25-30MW. Existing infrastructure would be used where possible.
Matthew Clayton, Chief Executive Officer at Thrive Renewables, added: “Burgar Hill has a rich history in renewable generation and fantastic wind resource, making it a prime location for repowering. We’re thrilled to have taken the first step on that journey through our collaboration with Burgar Hill Renewables, acquiring another two of five existing turbines with an intention to extend the life of the entire site, ensuring it delivers clean electricity and community benefit well into the future.”
In 2023 Thrive replaced the blades on its Sigurd turbine on Burgar Hill, which had reached the end of their life, working with ReBlade to repurpose them into useful items like bike shelters and EV charging stations.