POWER STATIONS & ELECTRICITY GENERATION

Background

Major power stations have significant environmental impacts, many of them ecological. Smaller schemes using the sun, wind or flowing water for energy generation also have effects on local ecosystems. Betts Ecology have been involved in some large schemes (nuclear and thermal) as well as smaller hydro-electric, solar panel and wind turbine power generation projects.

Clients & Location

Private and public sector – Severn Estuary, Eastern England, many rural locations for wind, solar and hydro schemes.

Operations

Betts Ecology’s work in these projects has included: surveys for impacts on local fauna and flora/variations from baseline; estuarine, riverine and terrestrial surveys and impact assessments; specialist studies such as bird/bat strike, entomology/ornithology (e.g. solar panels may be mistaken for water), EIA ecology chapters and remote impacts; planning inquiry evidence; liaison with multi-disciplinary teams; reports and management plans.

Outcomes

Betts Ecology have been able to provide the baseline data at sufficiently detailed and wide-ranging levels for evidence-based decision making and support to what are often complex planning processes. The larger projects are typically part of wider proposals and studies for very long-term projects with mitigation/compensation challenges. Smaller wind, solar and hydro schemes are sometimes easier to fulfil and apply acceptable avoidance/mitigation for ecology and ecosystems impacts.

See also our case study on North African Power Station