28 Sep 2020 .

After 25 years of serving the renewable energy industry, you can bank on us

Wind turbine against a blue sky

Natural Power has always worked on renewable energy projects; they’re the only type of energy project that we work on. Being a pioneer in renewable energy, we have achieved a lot of firsts, but we’ve also worked with our clients to help them achieve their own firsts.

In 2007, Banks Renewables asked Natural Power to work with them on one of their first renewable energy projects at West Durham Wind Farm. Commissioning for the project happened in 2009, and we worked closely with Banks to give them guidance and advice on starting the project.

“The Banks team brought us in early to assist and provide them with planning and construction management services”, said Ralph Spernagel, construction director at Natural Power. “We helped them to understand the procurement process, grid connection, planning discharge process and the constraints associated with the project. During the progress of West Durham Wind Farm, the relationship with the Banks Renewables business as a whole began to grow.”

And we have cultivated this relationship with Banks over the past 13 years.

We continued working with the Banks team on several onshore wind farm projects, including their Hazelhead and Marr projects, before moving on to their Hook Moor, Armistead and Lamb’s Hill schemes.

Most recently, we have been supporting them on the construction and commissioning of their most recent schemes: Kype Muir, Middle Muir and Moor House Wind Farms.

“It’s been iterative learning every time, and we take what we’ve learnt into the next project,” said Ralph. “Kype Muir and Middle Muir are a culmination of everything both Natural Power and Banks have learned from previous projects. These projects are at the forefront of best practice within the industry.

“It’s interesting to look back and think about when we first became involved with Banks during the West Durham project. We were only a small construction team of three then. As our team has grown, Banks Renewables has also expanded its portfolio and team across the UK. We’ve been lucky enough to be involved in this expansion, and the strong relationship that we’ve built with Banks.”

The next generation of Banks projects continue their pioneering and ambitious approach to the success of renewable energy in the UK, with key projects achieving consents for previously unmatched turbine tip heights, paving the way for the more efficient and larger scale technologies to be deployed. The long-term working relationship between our respective organisations means that there are high levels of trust and understanding in the teams, drawing upon and developing mutual skills from our broad industry experience.

“Banks is now also exploring diversification into other renewable technology technologies, such as renewable heat, and this offers a significant target area for innovative and ambitious companies like Banks to boost decarbonisation in a largely untapped sector of our economy.” said Spernagel. “We work with Banks to help them maintain their ambitions: to decarbonise and develop sites with care. We believe in the long-term, and so do Banks.”  

“Natural Power has provided valuable support to Banks Renewables throughout our 13 year relationship. It is credit to Natural Power that, with their assistance, all of our projects have been completed within programme and budget requirements,” said Brian Hunter, commercial manager at Banks Group. “Whilst development of new onshore wind capacity will remain a key element of our forward strategy, we look forward to working with Natural Power to develop other forms of renewable energy generation and storage in future. I congratulate Natural Power in reaching their 25th birthday and hope that they continue to provide their services for many years to come.”

Further reading

18 September 2020

Celebrating 25 years of building long-standing relationships with our clients

24 September 2020

25 years of Natural Power