Orkney Community Wind Farms has reached another milestone with the completion of Groundwork Investigations (GI) in Faray.
Central Alliance, supported by local contractors, completed the works in June 2024 marking the conclusion of all land GI works for the project, following investigations at Quanterness and Hoy in the Autumn of 2023.
Marine GI works on Faray are expected to commence in 2025.
The work involved drilling a series of boreholes and digging test pits across the sites to ascertain the soil, rock and geological conditions. To do this, excavators and small mobile drilling rigs were required. With this complete, samples will be sent away for laboratory testing which will result in an extensive geology report being prepared.
With insights gathered from this essential testing, design engineers will have the necessary information available to make informed decisions for the site’s infrastructure including the roads, hardstandings, cable trenches and foundations that will be required as part of the development.
By accurately assessing the ground conditions at the wind farm site, engineers can optimise foundation designs, selecting the most suitable type of foundation (e.g., shallow or deep foundations) based on the ground’s characteristics.
This informed decision-making helps reduce unnecessary construction expenses and prevents overdesigning, as the civil works can be tailored to the specific ground conditions of the site.
Moreover, identifying any geotechnical challenges in advance allows project managers to plan for potential mitigation measures and adjust the construction timelines accordingly, minimising delays and unexpected costs – contributing to the cost-effectiveness and overall efficiency of the project.
The next major milestone will see the business case for Hoy and Quanterness wind farms presented to Elected Members to decide on whether to proceed with the projects. If the projects go ahead, construction could begin in 2026 with a view to start generating electricity in 2028. This is likely to take place at the end of this year or early next year with the investment decision for Faray taking place at a later date.