Nissan supplier Unipres explores giant wind turbine to power Sunderland car parts plant and cut emissions
A major automotive manufacturing company on Wearside is exploring plans for a new wind turbine to help slash its carbon emissions.
Sunderland City Council’s planning department has received an application for the city base of Unipres (UK) Ltd, which sits off Cherry Blossom Way in the Washington North ward.
The firm is also a key supplier to the nearby Nissan plant in Washington and employs hundreds of staff.
A new application to council planning officials has requested a “scoping opinion” for plans to erect one wind turbine with a “maximum height to blade tip of 150m” and “approximate capacity of five megawatts”.
An ‘environmental impact assessment (EIA) scoping report’ submitted on behalf of Unipres states that “following the completion of the EIA and design process”, the applicant intends to apply for full planning permission for the “construction and operation of the proposed development”.
The scoping opinion request sets out proposed plans for the on-site wind turbine and is seeking feedback from Sunderland City Council’s planning department.
Site plans show the wind turbine proposed on a parcel of land near the Unipres boundary with the Nissan plant site, which already has wind turbines.
Those behind the Unipres scheme confirmed the proposed “wind turbine would have a total tip height of up to 150 m and a total generation capacity of up to 5MW, based on the current turbine model being considered”.
It was noted that the “energy generated would be distributed directly to the warehouse and would function to meet the energy needs of the facility”.
Applicants said the proposed development would “aim to reduce the carbon emissions from the facility” and would be “largely self-sustainable”, with any “excess energy” potentially being exported back to the national grid.
The EIA scoping report adds: “The proposed development would convert kinetic energy from the wind into electricity for use at the warehouse.
“Operational processes which take place at the warehouse use a lot of energy and the applicant wishes to reduce the carbon emissions associated with this production process.
“The applicant is therefore investing in on-site renewable energy generation technologies that would reduce carbon emissions and in turn help the applicant, Sunderland City Council and the UK achieve their respective net zero targets.”
Although the operational phase of the development was said to be “indicative at this stage”, applicants said it is “expected that this timeframe would amount to approximately 25 years”.
Following the period of operation, the applicant is also expected to “decommission” the wind turbine “in line with best practice industry guidance”.
The supporting EIA scoping report adds: “The applicant intends to utilise renewable sources to generate their own electricity and be self-sustaining.
“The proposed development would help to meet the energy demands of the warehouse and its supply chain network [and] would reduce the burden from the national grid and contribute to the reduction of carbon emissions.
“Investment in renewables can play a very important role in helping the UK rebuild its economy after the devastating effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, while also increasing its resilience to climate change.
“For example, the proposed development would have economic and employment benefits in the form of contracting opportunities for local and regional contractors both for construction activities themselves and throughout the supply chain.
“The investment in the proposed development has the potential to generate a range of economic opportunities for local businesses, most notably employment opportunities and local spending.”
A decision on the screening opinion request will be made by Sunderland City Council following a consultation exercise, with a decision expected in coming months.
For more information on the plan, or to track its progress, visit the council’s planning portal website and search reference: 25/01645/SCO