UNEXPLODED ORDNANCE - Wind Energy Network

SPONSORS OF EAST OF SCOTLAND
Independent
Insurance
Brokers Bruce
Stevenson
Bruce Stevenson is an independent
Insurance Broker with offices in
Edinburgh, Glasgow and London,
who specialise in Renewable Energy
Insurance for small to medium
privately owned firms and large
corporate organisations.
Experience in renewables
With over 20 years experience within the
renewable energy sector, they have built
a reputation with clients, consultants,
contractors and financiers as the leading
insurance advisor to the sector.
Clochnahill Energy
A key geographical area for the firm is the
north east of Scotland where they have
the largest concentration of renewable
energy clients. One of their clients is
Clochnahill Energy near Stonehaven.
The wind farm is owned by the Gordon
family of Inverbervie. The project consists
of 4 Siemens 1300Kw wind turbines
and the 5.2MW site generates enough
electricity for approximately 5000 homes.
Construction work at the site started
in March 2011 and was completed 12
months later. The project was funded
through the Co-operative Bank and
Bruce Stevenson arranged
the insurances for the project
during the construction phase
and once the project became
operational.
A typical example
Clochanahill is a typical
example of renewable energy
project for Bruce Stevenson.
Conversations with the client
began some considerable
time before works even began
on site. This helps building
the relationship with the client and
understanding the project fully, to ensure
all risks are identified and protected.
Insurance cover
The insurance covers available for both
the construction phase and operational
phases were discussed, along with the
likely insurance requirements the bank
would stipulate and premiums indications
for financial model purposes. Contractual
obligations with turbine suppliers often have
an impact on insurance requirements and
this project was no different, which required
contracts to be reviewed and the insurance
for the project tailored accordingly. Once
the insurances are placed, they continue to
keep in regular contact with the client and
site visits during construction and operation
are common place.
Providing a worthwhile service
Despite renewable energy projects in
the north east of Scotland covering a
widespread geographical area, most
developers know of each other and
often the same contractors and project
consultants are utilised. Therefore, it is
important that they provide an excellent
level of service to ensure they are the
insurance brokers that developers want to
speak to about their projects.
Bruce Stevenson Insurance Brokers
www.brucestevenson.co.uk
Corrosion
prevention
An opportunity waiting to be
grabbed!!
Well that’s how Ray Sams from Spencer
Coatings sees it. With a history of over
one hundred years manufacturing high
performance surface coatings from their
Aberdeen base, and a coating system
with over twenty five years proven
maintenance free performance, in a
wide variety of aggressive environments
including offshore north sea.
Standard industrial paints
Standard industrial and marine paints have
a limited life span and very few can show a
proven twenty five years plus maintenance
free track record.
The very nature of wind energy generating
structures demands long maintenance
free life especially offshore structures
where on station repair and maintenance
is enormously expensive and in some
cases logistically difficult if not impossible.
Addressing the problems
A change in approach is required
to address these problems and
conventional paint formulations need a
severe up-grade to accommodate the
in-service conditions faced by the wind
energy generating companies.
With over twenty five years
maintenance free performances, there
is evidence and proof the aggressive
operating conditions and accelerated
corrosion issues can be successfully
addressed, and there is technical data
available to assist operators and owners
with their long term planning to keep
corrosion under control.
Spencer Coatings in Scotland
Spencer Coatings Ltd have had a long
and successful working relationship with
the supply chain network in Scotland
including major off shore north sea
operators and maintenance management
companies, the Northern Lighthouse
Board, as an exclusive supplier, Scottish
Gas, Scottish Power, Highways Agency
and Network Rail.
New challenges
The emerging and developing offshore
wind market opens up new challenges to
all, and they look forward to being involved
with resolutions to at least some of these
challenges in the fight against corrosion
in one of the most hostile environments in
the world.
Ray Sams
Spencer Coatings
www.spencercoatings.co.uk
Click to view more info
www.windenergynetwork.co.uk
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