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Energy — renewables & grid
Energy — renewables & gridRenewables & grid (Onshore Wind)

Pen y Cymoedd onshore wind farm

South Wales, UK (between Neath and Aberdare) · 2015–2017 (operational 2017) · £400 million

The judgement call

Account-gated at launch

Became the largest onshore wind farm in England and Wales, demonstrating significant investment in onshore wind. - The co-location of a battery storage system highlights an early adoption of hybrid renewable energy solutions to enhance grid stability and energy management. - Challenges with peatland construction underscore the importance of detailed environmental impact assessments and mitigation strategies for such sites.

Key engineering challenges

Overcoming unpredictable weather conditions during construction in South Wales. - Building on peatlands, which can lead to environmental challenges like landslides if not managed carefully. - Integrating a large number of turbines and a co-located battery storage system into the grid.

Project facts

Client / owner
Vattenfall
Lead contractor
Jones Bros Civil Engineering UK (joint venture for civil works)
Lead designers
N/A
Project type
new build
Scale
228 MW capacity; 76 turbines
Disciplines
civil; structural; mechanical; electrical; environmental
Standards & frameworks
N/A

Sources: Vattenfall: https://www.vattenfall.co.uk/our-projects/pen-y-cymoedd/ - Power Systems UK: https://www.powersystemsuk.co.uk/projects/pen-y-cymoedd-wind-farm/ - Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pen_y_Cymoedd - Jones Bros: https://jones-bros.com/joint-venture-erects-final-turbine-pen-y-cymoedd-wind-farm/