Generation of Alternatives
One of the main features of the SMCE framework is that the alternatives are
constructed considering information from several sources, for instance, the participatory
process, the review of the projects, technical interviews, etc.
First, the Coma Bertran’s preliminary and final projects, and the Serra del Tallat’s
project are presented. Based on these plans, four alternatives have been shaped. It has been
built eight additional alternatives relying upon the following criteria:
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Technical feasibility, depending on wind availability8,
To reduce the visual impact of the original proposals,9
Economic viability of the alternatives.
Once the alternatives have been created, a resume has been discussed with some actors
to evaluate their feasibility and the degree of acceptance. This process was carried out by the
research group under the conditions mentioned above. It is worth mentioned that there are
several possibilities of doing different alternatives. Regarding this, this process has to be
understood as one way of alternatives generation but not the unique. The aim is to generate a
set of suitable alternatives, in a manageable number.
Firstly, it was considered as the three first alternatives the preliminary plans of the
Coma Bertran and Serra del Tallat10 projects, and the combination of both. They are called the
technocratic options.
Then, the second three alternatives are the submitted projects (Coma Bertran and Serra del
Tallat) and the their combination. We call these plans as technocratic and accepted by some
part of the population.
After this, and considering the worry of some people about the visual impact of the
windparks, new alternatives were generated. Starting from the combination of the preliminary
plans and the combination of the submitted projects, two alternatives are made by means of
reducing the height of the wind turbines and eliminating the windmills located closer than 1.5
kilometres from the inhabitated towns.
Another two alternatives are born redistributing windmills that are closer than 2
kilometres from the inhabited centres to windy zones (Figure 14). The starting points are the
submitted projects.
Finally, the last alternatives are the possibility of constructing a windpark aimed to local
supply of electricity managed by a cooperative (e.g. local administration), and not constructing
park at all.
Next, it is presented the characteristic of every alternative, showing possible locations
of windmills and the main features of the parks.
Alternative CB-Pre (Coma Bertran Preliminary Project)
In Table 8 it can be seen the features of the windpark proposed in the preliminary plan
of the Coma Bertran project, and Figure 10 shows its location.
8
The wind zones considered in the construction of alternatives has been obtained from EHN, and it is shown in
Figure 14.
9
It has been considered the worry of “living surrounded by windmills”. On the other hand, the Danish Wind
Industry stands that the windmills located further away than 500 to 1.000 metres do not produce shadow effect
(i.e. to intercept sun rays).
10
Strictly speaking, the preliminary plan of the Serra del Tallat Project was not submitted for governmental
evaluation, and it was got from EHN as an internal work document. This study was used to identify additional
windy zones for locating wind turbines.
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Table 8. Features of the alternative
CB-Pre.
Name
CB-Pre
Number of windmills
16
Power capacity
13.6 MW
Windmills’ power
850 KW
55 m
Rotor height
Rotor diameter
58 m
Figure 10. Location of the alternative CBPre
Alternative CB (Coma Bertran project)
This is the final Project presented by Gerr Grupo Energético Siglo XXI S.A. The
changes made to the preliminary plan consist in reducing the amount of windmills and
increasing their capacity. Table 9 shows the characteristics of the alternative, and Figure
11 presents its location.
Table 9. Features of the alternative
CB.
Name
CB
Number of windmills
11
Power capacity
16.5 MW
Windmills’ power
1.5 MW
80 m
Rotor height
Rotor diameter
77 m
Figure 11. Location of the alternative
CB
Alternative ST (Serra del Tallat project)
This project has been submitted by Energía Hidroeléctrica de Navarra (EHN). Its
characteristics are shown in Table 10, and in Figure 12 it can be seen its configuration.
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Table 10. Features of the alternative
ST.
Name
ST
Number of windmills
33
Power capacity
49.5 MW
Windmills’ power
1.5 MW
80 m
Rotor height
Rotor diameter
77 m
Figure 12. Location of the alternative Serra
del Tallat
Alternative CB+ST (Proyectos Coma Bertran y Serra del Tallat)
This alternative is the combination between the final projects presented by Gerrsa and
EHN. Table 11 presents the characteristics of the windfarm, and FFigure 13 shows its
location.
Table 11. Features of the alternative
CB+ST.
Nombre
ST+CB
Number of windmills
44
Power capacity
66 MW
Windmills’ power
1.5 MW
80 m
Rotor height
Rotor diameter
77 m
F
Figure 13. Location of the alternative
CB+ST
Figure 14 shows (in green) some suitable areas for windfarms. Based on these zones
and the projects presented above it will be constructed eight additional alternatives for further
evaluation.
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Figure 14. Technical feasibility zones (wind presence)
Source: Own elaboration based on information coming from EHN.
To consider the visual impact produced by the windmills, the machines located closer
than 1.5 kilometres are moved or eliminated. Also there is a proposal which modifies the
windmills located up to 2 kilometres from inhabited centres.
Alternative ST+ (Serra del Tallat Plus)
This alternative considers reducing the height (and the capacity) of the machines
proposed in Serra del Tallat project (see Table 12), and to increase the amount of
windmills, as Figure 15 shows.
Table 12. Features of the alternative
ST+
Name
ST+
Number of windmills
59
Power capacity
39 MW
Windmills’ power
660 KW
55 m
Rotor height
Rotor diameter
47 m
Figure 15. Location of the alternative
ST+
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Alternative CB+ST Pre (Coma Bertran’s Preliminary project and Serra del Tallat
Plus)
The outcome of blending the Coma Bertran’s preliminary plan and the ST+
alternative is a windfarm of 59 machines of 660 KW, and 16 of 850 KW. Table 13
presents the characteristics of this alternative, and Figure 16 shows its configuration.
Table 13. Features of the alternative
CB+ST Pre
Name
CB+ST Pre
Number of windmills
75
Power capacity
52.5 MW
Windmills’ power
660/850 KW
55 m
Rotor height
Rotor diameter
47/58 m
Figure 16. Location of the alternative CB+ST
Pre
In this proposal, the windmills with 660 KW of capacity are those from the ST+
alternative. And those from the Gerrsa preliminary plan are machines of 850 KW of
capacity.
Alternative LVI-1 (Less Visual Impact 1)
This alternative considers the windmills of the previous option which are located
further away than 1.5 kilometres from the towns. Table 14 presents the characteristics of
this alternative, which regards 54 machines of 660 KW and 7 of 850 KW. And Figure 17
shows its possible configuration.
Table 14. Features os the alternative LVI1.
Nombre
LVI-1
Number of windmills
61
Power capacity
41.6 MW
Windmills’ power
660/850 KW
55 m
Rotor height
Rotor diameter
47/58 m
Figure 17. Location of the alternative LVI-1
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Alternative LVI-2 (Less Visual Impact 2)
Based on the Coma Bertran and Serra del Tallat projects, this alternative considers
the windmills located at least 1.5 kilometres from the inhabited centres. In Table 15 it can
be seen the features of this option, and Figure 18 shows its configuration.
Table 15. Features os the
alternative LVI-2.
LVI-2
Nombre
Number of windmills
28
Power capacity
42 MW
Windmills’ power
1.5 MW
80 m
Rotor height
Rotor diameter
77 m
Figure 18. Location of the alternative
LVI-2
Alternative R-1 (Redistribution)
This option starts from the final projects as well, and considers those windmills
located at least 2 kilometres from the urban centres. Some windmills have been
eliminated, and others have been located in the feasibility zones of Figure 14.
In this way, 32 sites have been selected, and Figure 19 shows the configuration of the
windfarm. Table 16 presents the features of the alternative.
Table 16. Features of the alternative R-1.
R
Name
Number of windmills
32
Power capacity
48 MW
Windmills’ power
1.5 MW
80 m
Rotor height
Rotor diameter
77 m
Figure 19. Location of the alternative R-1
Alternative R-2 (Redistribution)
This option tries to move the windmills away from the inhabited centres presenting
higher resistance to the windfarms (Senan and Montblanquet).
Then, it is in Table 17 where the features of this option can be found, and Figure 20
shows the possible locations of the windmills.
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Table 17. Features of the R-2 project.
R-2
Name
Number of windmills
24
Power capacity
36 MW
Windmills’ power
1.5 MW
80 m
Rotor height
Rotor diameter
77 m
Figure 20. Location of the alternative R2
Alternative A
To recover the towns from the actual situation (population ageing and country-city
migration) is one of the main worries of the population.
This alternative is born inspired in small wind-farms projects for local electricity
supply. The selected five locations are shown in Figure 21. And the features of the windfarm are presented in Table 18.
Table 18. Features of the alternative
C.
Nombre
C
Number of windmills
5
Power capacity
7.5 MW
Windmills’ power
1.5 MW
80 m
Rotor height
Rotor diameter
77 m
Figure 21. Location of the alternative
C
Alternative NP (No Park)
This option is the business as usual alternative, which is supported by some actors
involved in the conflict.
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