In saving the emission of 160,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide every year, Cefn Croes represents a significant milestone in the global fight against the effects of climate change.

Cefn Croes

Summary

Current status : Completed in March 2005
Location : Cefn Croes, Devils Bridge, Ceredigion, WALES
Number of turbines : 39
Expected capacity : 58.5 MW
The amount of clean energy produced annually is the equivalent to the energy consumed by: 42,000
Amount of CO2 saved : 160,000 tonnes
Project manager : Roger Jones

Falck completed construction of what was the UK’s largest onshore wind farm on 31 March 2005. It was officially opened on the 16th of June 2005 by Mr. Andrew Davies, the Welsh Assembly Government’s Minister for Economic Development and Transport at the time. The Cefn Croes project owned by Falck through its subsidiary, Cambrian Wind Energy Limited, is located near Devils Bridge, Wales, 15 km east of Aberystewth. Cefn Croes has a capacity of 58.5 MW (39 x 1.5 MW GE 1.5 Series) and will save the equivalent of 160,000 tonnes of CO2 annually and generate enough electricity to supply approximately 42,000 homes.

This wind farm helps Wales to play its part in the campaign to combat climate change by producing 15% of wind energy in Wales and will contribute towards the Welsh Assembly Government’s target energy from renewable sources by 2010.

The wind farm consists of 12 turbines with tower heights of 55 m and 27 turbines with a 65 m tower height. The rotor speed is 11 – 22 rpm. The rotor diameter is 70 m.

Planning Consent for the project was awarded in May 2002 and construction began in March 2004, taking only nine months to complete. GE provided the wind turbines and managed the overall implementation of the project. The project gave on-site employment to more than 100 people during the construction period with the main civil works competed by the Welsh contractor, Jones Brothers of Ruthin. Full commercial operations began in April 2005 and GE Energy continues to operate and maintain the turbines under contract to Cambrian Wind Energy.