Friday, October 29, 2010
West Coast Energy applies for planning permission at its
award-winning Mynydd Awel premises in Flintshire
Already acclaimed as the cleanest
and most environmentally sound commercial building in Wales, Mynydd Awel, located on Mold
Business Park in Flintshire, is about to become greener still. Its
owner, leading onshore wind developer West Coast Energy, has
submitted a planning application for an onsite wind turbine which
will allow the building to generate its own electricity and become
entirely self-sufficient.
West Coast Energy recently
impressed judges at the Flintshire Business Awards 2010 - held on
Tuesday 19 October by Flintshire County Council - to take home the
Best Sustainable Business of the Year Award by outlining how
sustainability is at the heart of its operations with its core
product offering of electricity generated from wind.
Its environmentally friendly
headquarters, constructed in 2009, gave added weight to the
company's entry as the only commercial building in Wales built to
meet BREEAM* excellence standards in sustainability, an accolade
which saw the property named 'Best Sustainable Development' in the
all-Wales LABC Excellence Awards 2010.
Now West Coast Energy is driving
its commitment to sustainability one step further by applying to
Flintshire County Council for approval to construct and operate a
small wind turbine onsite. The wind turbine has been sized to
provide a large proportion of the electricity required by Mynydd
Awel, whilst ensuring that any perceived environmental impacts on
the locality are kept to a minimum. The proposed wind turbine will
have a maximum height of up to 35m, and is anticipated to generate
enough green electricity to offset up to 100 per cent of the
electricity currently used by the company.
Chris Thomas, Project Manager at
West Coast Energy, comments: "West Coast Energy is absolutely
committed to developing its business throughout Wales and reducing
its carbon footprint. We see this wind turbine as part of our
continued commitment to the environment and the future low carbon
economy."
Backed by extensive knowledge and a
comprehensive understanding of the technical, planning and
environmental issues associated with wind energy development, West
Coast Energy has been responsible for consenting over 600 megawatts
of wind energy capacity since its inception in 1996, The
Welsh-based company, which employs 160 people, invested £2million
in the construction of its purpose-built premises, which the
company moved into in 2009.
* BRE Environmental Assessment
Method, the world's leading rating tool for sustainable buildings
and communities
ENDS
Notes to
editors:
For more information or to request
images please contact Collette Yates or Lynne East at Midnight
Communications on 01273 666 200 or at westcoastenergy@midnight.co.uk
About West Coast
Energy:
West Coast Energy Limited is a
leading independent wind energy developer based in Mold, North
Wales. The company was established in 1996 and operates
throughout the UK. Its team of experienced
professionals specialise in the identification, design,
planning and development of wind energy projects through to
construction and operation.
West Coast Energy is presently
involved in developing hundreds of megawatts of wind power
generation for the UK's future renewable energy needs, and to
date, has secured planning permission for a range of onshore
and offshore wind farms totalling in excess of 600
Megawatts.
The West Coast Energy Group of
Companies also incorporates Atmos Consulting Limited, an
environmental and technical consulting firm specialising in
renewable energy, sustainable infrastructure and biodiversity
projects; West Coast Network Services Limited, which provides
specialist power line vegetation management and maintenance
services to a number of electricity distribution companies and The
Low Carbon Energy Company Limited who design and install a range of
microgeneration technologies, including solar PV.
