Wind Power in the North East

The North East Renewable Energy Group (NEREG) has set up a wind subgroup to assess wind issues in the North East. This group does not discuss or consider specific applications. The group provides a neutral forum to assess the potential for the North East in meeting the targets set out in the Regional Renewable Energy Strategy, which informed the Regional Spatial Strategy, and to commission work to gather the information and data needed to inform Regional wind activity. In these documents, the Region's wind resource was identified, along with the level of development needed to help the Region meet its target of 10% of electricity consumed to be generated by renewable sources by 2010. This group brings together a number of stakeholders, public bodies, local authorities, developers, consultants together to look at the gaps in information and the barriers to developing the Regional wind resource.

The Group is chaired by Dan Grierson of TNEI Services Ltd. Its outputs include:

• development of a mapping tool to help assess the likely impact of wind turbine development on aviation interests in the North East. The output of this study, which was completed after a wide-ranging stakeholder engagement process, is a series of maps and a report which can inform the discussions between wind developers and aerodome operators and aviationists as part of the consultation process when considering building developements at site.  This study has been jointly commissioned by the Wind Subgroup in co-operation with a number of commercial developers. The tool and report can be purchased from the subgroup chair
• a number of wind awareness events are carried out during the year. In Jan/Feb of 2006, the group will hold a wind awareness event for councillors, planners and MPs. This event will include a visit to a working wind farm to view turbines in situ and in operation. This event will be notified on the events page of this web site