ESG case study: Reducing embodied carbon at Murley windfarm

Our ESG stories: Embodied carbon reduction at Murley windfarm 

Murley Windfarm, Co. Tyrone, Northern Ireland was acquired by NTR in 2021 as a late-stage development project. The site will comprise six wind turbines with an installed capacity of c.21.6MW when commissioned.

Original consented designs for the site posed challenges as the crane platforms were too small to allow predelivery of all components. However, large increases of the crane platform area were prohibited due to the sensitive nature of the site habitat.

Previous logistical plans had included two separate site storage areas and complex sequencing to deliver tower components to these areas, offload, reload later and then to deliver ‘just in time’ to the installation crane. This approach would have resulted in increased work hours on site and increased plant activity (cranes, heavy goods vehicles and mobile elevated work platforms).

The skilled and experienced construction team in NTR set themselves the objective of designing a solution which would comply with consented planning, reduce work hours required, decrease plant requirements for the project and if possible, reduce the overall construction area of the site. Working with the preferred turbine supplier, a pioneering solution was found that enables the storage of tower components on narrow ‘fingers’ of hardstanding just off the crane platform. This solution eliminates the need for separate storage areas and facilitates pre-delivery of all components to the crane platform which will result in a more efficient turbine installation process.

This innovative solution has now been agreed with the preferred turbine supplier. The impact has been a reduction in expected work hours, lower safety risk due to less turbine component lifts and movements as well as a decrease in overall plant activity. This improved design will contribute to a reduced embodied carbon footprint for the project as well as delivering a welcome commercial saving.