Sustainable drainage for wind farms

McCloy Consulting has developed a specialist niche expertise in the design of drainage for wind farms and has extensive experience in all aspects of the design and supervision of sustainable drainage systems for onshore wind projects.

We have had direct involvement in more than 30 wind development projects over the last three years, and are proud to be a preferred consultant of a number of major wind farm developers in the Irish, UK, and European renewable energy markets, including Renewable Energy Systems (RES) UK & Ireland, and Airtricity (Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE)).

Wind development sites are generally located in elevated upland areas, which by their nature coincide with areas of scientific interest and sensitive biological and marine habitats. These habitats, including peat bogs and sensitive watercourses and lakes, are therefore at high risk of pollution due to construction and operation activities at the wind development site.

The upland nature also means that any pollution incident at a wind farm site is likely to be carried downstream by natural watercourses, with associated wide ranging ecological implications in the lower reaches of the watershed.

The application of SuDS on such sites is critical, in order minimise impact on watercourses of increased flows and polluted construction runoff.

Examples of the services we can offer are as follows:

	Preparation of Preliminary Hydrological Assessments – used as part of the site selection process
	Preparation of Hydrology, Drainage, and Silt Management chapters for Environmental Statements and Environmental Impact Assessments;
	Preparation of site specific “SuDS Design Philosophy Statements” for inclusion with the Construction Method Statement;
	Development of Pollution Prevention Plans.
	Preliminary and detailed design of sustainable drainage and pollution control features;
	Site supervision;
	Preparation of construction and post-construction phase SuDS management and maintenance plans;
	Baseline and construction phase water quality and environmental monitoring and reporting.

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