News

TNEI is a UK based firm but has recently found that their specialist expertise in renewables integration, harmonics, smart grids, wind turbine noise, EIAs and specialist power systems studies are more and more in demand internationally. To support this,we have appointed an Overseas Lead, Dr Charlotte Higgins. Charlotte’s background is perfect to consider international opportunities for TNEI, not only does she have experience of working in 4 different countries, her educational background means she has a solid appreciation of all aspects of TNEI’s capabilities. Initially, Charlotte will be based in Cape Town, South Africa, for a number of months to engage in business development activities with key contacts in the South African renewables sector. She will also be exploring wider opportunities for TNEI in the power transmission, distribution and generation markets of Southern Africa covering both power systems and planning and environmental services. Please contact Charlotte Higgins on info@tnei.co.uk for

Jim joins TNEI with a wealth of noise assessment experience across a range of sectors including energy, industrial, commercial, construction and transportation. Key projects include Section 36 applications, biomass and hydro planning applications, PPC permitting and mixed-development master planning. Prior to joining TNEI, Jim headed up the Acoustics & Noise team at Atmos Consulting in Edinburgh and has been undertaking environmental and occupational noise assessment work across Scotland for a number of years. In addition to his environmental noise expertise, Jim has worked on a number of significant architectural acoustics projects including design and specification of specialist recording and TV studios, performance spaces, atria, healthcare and educational facilities. Jim will work directly with the existing teams in Glasgow and Newcastle upon Tyne to enhance our capability, with a specific focus on delivering noise and acoustic services to the Scottish development market. Andy Edgar, Director of TNEI’s Planning & Environmental Group

TNEI was commissioned to undertake soil resistivity measurements on the site of a 94MW onshore wind farm. The site is located in the Scottish Highlands, a few kilometres to the west of the Cairn Gorm National Park. The site work was a collaboration between the PST and P&E teams and from each of the three TNEI UK offices: Manchester, Newcastle and Glasgow. The area of the site is approximately 40km2 with the highest point being upwards of 800m above sea level. Unexpectedly, the enabling works throughout the site were partially completed at the time of our visit. This meant that significant trekking throughout the mountains with measurement equipment was necessary, on average 9km daily. Navigational skills rather than power system engineering expertises were of paramount importance not only because of the unmarked areas of interest but also because of the extremes of weather conditions. The weather ranged from sunny clear

Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council have granted consent for a single 110m to blade tip turbine to the north east of Newbold Heath in Leicestershire. The proposal was recommended for approval by the Planning Department and approved by the Planning Committee in July 2014, within only 14 weeks of submission of the application. The site was identified through a site finding exercise across the East Midlands region on behalf of RES UK & Ireland Ltd (RES). Following identification of the site and further feasibility works, TNEI were then retained by RES to provide full planning and environmental consultancy services, compiling supporting documentation, managing the project team and submitting the planning application. TNEI continue to work with RES to identify further sites, undertake feasibility works and manage resultant sites through to planning determination.

In June, TNEI staff undertook a wind farm noise training session for Section 36 Case Officers and Technical Support Staff at the ECDU office in Glasgow.The training session was led by James Mackay (TNEI’s Technical Services Manager) and covered topics including the application of the ETSU-R-97 assessment methodology, current good practice (contained within the Institute of Acoustics Good Practice Guide), cumulative noise assessments, noise related planning conditions and wind farm compliance monitoring.The training session was arranged by Colin Lavety (Lead Consultant & Manager – Glasgow) and it follows on from a number of wind farm noise training sessions that TNEI have provided for a range of clients including wind farm developers, turbine operators and Local Authorities across the UK. Colin Lavety noted: “James and the rest of the Acoustics team have built up a wealth of experience in relation to wind farm noise assessment in recent years and it is

TNEI’s Moise Coulon had a week to remember after scooping the Association of Noise Consultants (ANC) Best Diploma Project Award of 2014 at the ANC’s annual awards dinner on 24th June. Later that week the Institute of Acoustics (IOA) also published a Technical Contribution written by Moise in the IOA Acoustics Bulletin magazine. Moise’s diploma project was entitled “‘Directivity of wind farm noise at noise sensitive receptor distances’, a topic which is of increasing importance as cumulative wind turbine noise assessments become key to maximising renewable energy generation in areas where turbines are already operating whilst ensuring the amenity of nearby residents is protected. The ANC noted that the project was ‘head and shoulders above the rest’ in a year that the standard was ‘unusually good’. The Technical Contribution in the July / August edition of the Acoustics Bulletin focused on the complex wind speed referencing system used in wind