The 1.5MW wind turbine project is being developed and installed by on-site generation specialist Wind Direct and has been granted conditional approval by Fife Council. Noble Foods' Thornton site employs 290 people across its three divisions: agriculture, milling and packing centre. The proposed development would provide a sustainable source of electricity at a cost lower than that currently paid to import energy from fossil fuels.
It is anticipated that the wind turbine could meet as much as 75% of Noble Foods' electricity requirements on the site and could offset more than 2,000t of carbon dioxide emissions.
Subject to legal agreements being put in place to cover any remedial works that may be required during construction, along with a restoration bond to cover the eventual dismantling of the wind turbine and restoration of the land, Wind Direct will commence pre-construction and engineering works later this year, with energisation expected during 2012.
Project manager Roy Ferguson said: "We applied for planning permission in April this year and I am delighted to say that it has been a very smooth process thanks to Fife Council's pragmatic approach to the application. It has resulted in a swift and successful outcome for our client."
Noble Foods has already installed 11 small-scale wind turbines at its sites across the UK and in 2004 the company took the step of employing Nigel Youd as its dedicated environmental manager.
Wind Direct has 22 projects in the public domain. Work is currently being carried out to develop sites at Mars Complementary Petcare and Rodbaston College amongst others.
Meanwhile, Dairy Crest recently hosted a visit by Prince Charles to its creamery in Davidstow, Cornwall to officially open the site's new biomass energy centre. Designed, built, operated and maintained by Dalkia, the plant ensures utility supplies continue to meet the needs of the site on a day-to-day basis, while working towards Dairy Crest's commitment to reduce its carbon dioxide emissions by 28% by 2020.
Powered using only processed wood pellets from Dalkia's own processing facilities, the biomass energy centre will help Dairy Crest to generate its own clean energy, while reducing 60% of the site's overall carbon emissions. It is one of the largest wood pellet burning installations in the industry sector, utilising sustainably sourced pellets made from used or life-expired wood, thus diverting it from landfill.