Technical
Information
WIGTON II PROJEC
1.0 PROJECT OVERVIEW
Wigton Windfarm Limited (WWFL) has implemented phase II of the Wigton Expansion programme. This additional capacity will bring the total Wigton Windfarm capacity to 38.7 MW. The project involves the installation of nine (9) 2 megawatt (MW) wind turbine generators from Vestas Eolica S.A.U. as well as additional plant operating facilities. Construction of the new plant was constructed by December 2010 at a cost of approximately US$ 47.5 million.
2.0 BACKGROUND
Wigton Windfarm Limited is a wholly owned subsidiary of the state owned, Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica. Wigton Windfarm Limited owns the existing 20.7 MW wind farm in Manchester comprising twenty three (23) 900 kW rated wind turbines. WWFL has successfully generated and delivered electricity to the Jamaica Public Service Company Limited (JPSCo), under a Power Interchange Agreement.
The Wigton Windfarm project (20.7 MW) is registered by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change under the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) and WWFL has been successfully trading carbon credits under an Emissions Reduction Purchase Agreement (ERPA) with the Dutch Government since 2005. In addition to the revenues from the sale of electricity and carbon credits, national benefits are derived from the foreign exchange savings achieved due to the avoidance of oil importation for traditional power plants as well as the health and environmental benefits from operating clean, renewable energy facilities versus traditional power plants.
3.0 PROJECT DETAILS
3.1 Technical Details of Proposal
3.1.1 Environmental Impact
The Wigton II wind farm addition does not use fossil fuels and therefore does not release any harmful emissions. A N.E.P.A. permit was obtained for the project in January 2009.
3.1.2 Land
Wigton has obtained licences to operate on lands owned by Jamalco and Alpart.
3.1.3 Layout
In order to maximize the wind energy potential of the land to assist the government in meeting its renewable energy policy targets of 11% by 2012, and to contain project implementation costs, an expansion design of nine (9) wind turbines has been microsited on the land and installed.
3.1.4 Turbines
The Vestas V80 wind turbines were used. A comparison between the existing and new turbines is shown below.
Specifications |
Wigton I |
Wigton II |
Turbine Type |
NEG-Micon
NM 52/900 |
Vestas
V80 |
Turbine Capacity |
900 kW |
2000 kW |
Cut in Wind Speed |
3 m/s |
4 m/s |
Hub Height |
49 m |
67 m |
Rotor Diameter |
52.2 m |
80 m |
3.1.5 Tie-In
The electricity from the new addition is stepped up in voltage from 20 kV from the wind turbine circuits to 69 kV at a substation adjacent to the existing Wigton substation. The output from the new plant and the existing plant are combined at a juncture at the first pole of overhead transmission line to Spur Tree. Even with the additional output from Wigton Windfarm, the total capacity (38.7 MW) is not at the threshold of 10% of system peak demand (approximately 60 MW) for which redundancy tie-in is recommended therefore, a single transmission line is being used.
3.2 Projected Capacity Availability and Annual Energy Supplies to the Grid
The projected annual average capacity availability (capacity factor) is 30%.
The projected annual average energy supplied to the grid is 47.3 GWh from Wigton II and 101,7 GWh from Wigton I and Wigton II combined.
3.3 Construction Details
The project was delivered on a turnkey basis by Vestas Eolica S.A.U., however, local input has been maximized at every stage including engineering and studies, transportation and construction.
3.4 Project Implementation Milestones
The wind turbines were delivered in Jamaica in April 2010 and commissioning of the plant was completed in December 2010.
3.5 Financing
The project is 100% debt financed from the PetroCaribe Development Fund.
3.6 Benefits
An 18 MW facility is projected to deliver:
- 47.3 GWh of electricity/ yr
- 27,826 barrels of oil equivalent/ yr
- 39,452 tones of carbon emissions avoided/ yr
- US$ 2.5 M reduction in the nation’s petroleum import bill (assuming US$90/ barrel of oil)/ yr
- Energy to power approximately 24,000 homes (estimated based on average household use)
- Lowering of the overall fuel charge to consumers as fuel energy is substituted by renewable energy
- Expand and increase the technical capacity in the field of renewable energy
| Project |
Wigton 1
Wind Farm |
| Location |
Wigton
in the parish of Manchester, SW from Mandeville, 115 km from Kingston |
| Project
Size |
20.7
MW |
| Project
Owners/Developers |
Wigton
Wind Farm Ltd. and Renewable Energy Systems Ltd. |
| Utility
Company |
Jamaica
Public Service C |
| Land
Ownership |
The
wind farm property has been leased from the bauxite/alumina companies
Alcoa and Alpart. |
| NEG
Micon scope of Supply: |
Supply,
Delivery, Erection Commissioning and Testing (23-900MW) Wind Turbines
|
| Hub
Height |
49
m |
| Rotor
Diameter |
52.2
m |
| Mean
Wind Speed @ hub height: |
8.3
m/s |
| Area
on which turbines are situated |
4.3
km2 |
| Turbine
Location |
Turbines
strategically situated at approximately 100 m apart on the ridges
of the property |
| Site
elevation |
750
m |
| New
Overhead Line (to Spur Tree Substation) |
11.315
km |
| Project
Completed |
April30,2004 |
