What are the wind speeds at the site?

Wind speeds have been directly measured at Earystane over the last 12 months to verify historical data available using a Sonic Detection and Ranging (SoDAR) Device.

The device is considered the best way to measure wind speeds at a potential windfarm site without adversely impacting fauna at the site.

Several existing sources of data for wind speed were already available for the Isle of Man:

• 30 year wind data from the NOABL (Numerical Objective Analysis of Boundary Layer) database;
• 12 month measured wind data from a study by MEA from the A36;
• 30 year wind data from Ronaldsway Meteorological Office;
• The average wind speeds identified for each site have been published in the Phase 1 Environmental Assessment report. The Earystane site also has the benefit of data from MEA studies in 2000.

The NOABL data set is considered suitable for windfarm feasibility purposes and is particularly useful when comparing sites. This is standard industry practice. The wind monitoring at Earystane is now completed and the data has been published on our website.

The following wind speeds have been recorded at the site from a range of data sources: