ScottishPower Renewables (SPR) has put environmental considerations at the forefront of planning and construction work for its East Anglia Hub wind farms off the Suffolk coast.
In 2022, the company received global recognition at the Energy Institute Awards for its considered and sensitive work during the development and installation of the East Anglia ONE wind farm, which minimised the impact of the project on the onshore environment and helped native species thrive.
Similar work is now in progress for East Anglia THREE, which commenced onshore construction in July 2022.
Onshore environmental manager Jade Relf oversees all of the East Anglia projects to ensure any requirements to protect the environment are implemented.
“My job ensures that any potential impacts on the environment have been avoided where possible – or suitably mitigated for,” said Jade. “This can be across many varying stages of the projects, so we need to adapt as work progresses or when the seasons change.”
Jade has been interested in the natural world since she was very young.
“I started exploring ecology early on – creating ponds in my garden to watch tadpoles grow and hiking and camping in the Yorkshire Dales throughout my teenage years.
“I love the ecological aspect of environmental management – from understanding what species and habitats are present and how to protect them to looking at how permanent landscaping and features can be tweaked to give the greatest benefit for biodiversity. And it’s great to work with the project and construction teams to see how we can deliver the best possible outcomes.”
Ecological surveys have been underway across the East Anglia projects since the planning stages and are routinely updated to ensure SPR has up-to-date information for any species present around onshore sites – starting with badgers and breeding birds.
“We’re also planning for water vole mitigation, which involves surveying and strimming works to ensure water voles can remain in suitable habitats and continue to move through large culverts, while creating the small works area needed for crossings of watercourses,” Jade explained.
She added that the yearly monitoring of nesting marsh harriers is due to commence once the birds start returning to their breeding grounds in the UK.
“They are stunning birds, particularly when they are performing their breeding displays. We have protected their nest sites each year, leading to successful rearing of young throughout the project.”
Other species recorded through SPR’s environmental work include great crested newts and amphibians, bats, otters, reptiles, avocet, dark-bellied brent geese, barn owls and other breeding birds. In particular, these are birds common on arable/lowland marshland, such as skylark and oystercatcher, as well as species related to protected sites and Suffolk priority species like turtle dove, woodlark and nightingale.
SPR gives the same careful ecological consideration to the offshore environment during wind farm development and construction, as well as after the turbines are turning.
Recent analysis of dedicated seabed monitoring at East Anglia ONE identified that not only has there been no negative impact on ross worm reefs on the seabed near wind farm cables and turbine foundations, but additional areas have also been identified where ross worm wasn’t recorded before.
Ahead of offshore construction getting underway later this year, SPR is also monitoring marine mammal populations at East Anglia THREE, which falls within the Southern North Sea Special Area of Conservation (SAC).
Underwater recording devices have been placed in 12 locations to detect and register underwater sound and presence of harbour porpoises, which are a protected species in the Southern North Sea SAC.
The devices will be in place for around four years and will allow SPR to study behaviour of harbour porpoises in response to various sources of underwater sound.
Marija Nilova, offshore ecology manager, said: “As a responsible developer, our priority is to avoid or minimise the potential impact of our wind farms on both the seabed and sea life. That’s why we undertake activities like seabed surveys and species monitoring both before and after construction – so we can really see the big picture of what’s happening in the marine environment.
“What these surveys discover doesn’t just help us – they also provide valuable insight for the wider industry and UK regulators and help ensure that wildlife and wind farms can happily co-exist side by side while we work to deliver more green electricity to the grid. It’s great to be part of that.”
For more information on the East Anglia Hub wind farms, please visit spreastanglia.co.uk
This article is part of LOCALiQ's Clean & Green campaign, which aims to promote our region as the biggest in the UK and Europe for all forms of renewable energy.
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