Renewable energy as part of the business

John Dalton runs a mixed arable farm in the Scottish Borders near the historic village of Coldingham. Among other crops, he grows winter wheat on his land which is eventually supplied to a whisky distillery.

In addition, he rents out holiday cottages and has been investing in his own energy generation for years. The farm has a biomass boiler with a district heating network, solar panels on the grain silos and a small wind turbine that supplies energy for the biomass plant.

For John, this diversification is important:

“These days, you can no longer rely solely on the farm. Diversification is what keeps us afloat.”

A turbine beyond repair

The large wind turbine on the farm, a Bonus model from 2012, had suffered several breakdowns over the years. In December 2022, things went seriously wrong during a severe storm. A rotor blade broke off and landed more than 150 metres away in a field and the turbine was so badly damaged that repairing it wasn’t possible.

John decided to carry out a thorough market survey and from three potential suppliers, he chose Rengineers. The solution was not a completely new installation, but repowering: a refurbished turbine at the existing site.  

Repowering subject to strict planning permission requirements

The location, right next to the historic village of Coldingham, made this project challenging both technically and in terms of planning permission. The tip height of the turbine could not exceed 50 metres so the mast was modified to a height that ensures the tip height remained within the permitted limit.

“The planning permission process was rigorous. We were right next to a historic village, but it worked out.”

The process took eleven months from the initial meeting to the turbine being up and running. In November, the old foundations were excavated and new ones laid. The old turbine was then removed and the replacement turbine installed.

“Eleven months from start to finish. That’s quite an achievement.”

Peace of mind doesn’t end once the installation is complete

For John, it was not just the technical solution that was the deciding factor. The Garant Contract also played a key role in his decision to choose Rengineers. Under this contract, Rengineers takes responsibility for maintenance, monitoring and cover for risks associated with downtime. If the turbine is out of action for longer than the agreed 48 hours, the loss of income is compensated.

“The Garant Contract means that Rengineers will keep an eye on the turbine for me over the next twenty years. If it’s out of action for more than 48 hours, I’ll be compensated for the loss. That simply gives me peace of mind.”

For John, the biggest advantage is that he doesn’t have to constantly deal with the technical side of things himself.  

24/7 monitoring of the turbine

The turbine is monitored 24/7 from Barneveld. If anything happens, Rengineers can view the situation remotely and, where needed, intervene immediately.

“I hardly ever need to go to the turbine. If there’s a problem, they reset it from the Netherlands. It’s very professional and I don’t have to do a thing.”

Using the Rengineers app, John can keep track of wind speed, power output, kilowatt-hours generated, historical data and technicians’ work orders and much more.

“It’s a very practical app.”

This way, he stays up to date with performance figures without the management of the turbine becoming part of his day-to-day work.  

The next step: storing energy

With biomass, solar panels and wind power, John now has various forms of on-site energy generation at his farm. He already has the next step in mind: battery storage.

“Batteries are on the agenda. That will complete the cycle.”

His decision to choose Rengineers was therefore part of a broader long-term strategy. It’s not just about replacing a turbine following storm damage, but about ensuring that the plant continues to perform and that there is a partner behind it who remains involved throughout its entire lifespan.

“I have absolutely no regrets about choosing Rengineers. Their presentation at the time was spot on and to the point. And the support I receive is fantastic.”

  Would you like to give your existing wind turbine site a new life?