Utility Search & PALM Utility Mapping for a 1,300-Hectare Onshore Wind Farm in Scotland

Premier Energy’s Renewable Energy Experience

With more than 30 years of utility consultancy experience, Premier Energy has supported the successful delivery of over 20 medium and large-scale onshore wind farm projects throughout the UK.

Our specialist utility consultancy services help renewable energy developers, engineering consultants and contractors identify existing underground utilities before design and construction begins. By providing coordinated utility records, PAS 128 utility mapping and digital CAD and GIS deliverables, we help reduce project risk, improve design efficiency and minimise costly delays.

Whether delivering utility intelligence for wind farms, solar farms, battery energy storage systems (BESS) or grid connection projects, our experienced team provides the information needed to make informed engineering decisions from the earliest stages of development.

Case Study: Utility Intelligence for a 63MW Onshore Wind Farm

Project Overview

Premier Energy was appointed to provide comprehensive utility intelligence for a proposed 63MW onshore wind farm in southern Scotland.

The development covered approximately 1,300 hectares and consisted of 10 wind turbines, associated access roads, cable routes and supporting infrastructure.

The project required the collection, verification and coordination of statutory utility records across the entire development area, enabling the design team to identify existing underground assets before progressing engineering design, environmental assessments and planning applications.

Project Summary

The Challenge

Large-scale renewable energy developments often span hundreds or even thousands of hectares, making accurate utility information essential during the early planning and design stages.

Existing electricity, gas, water, telecommunications, fibre optic and pipeline infrastructure can significantly influence:

• Wind turbine positioning
• Access road design
• Internal cable routing
• Environmental assessments
• Construction methodology
• Grid connection infrastructure

The client required a fully coordinated utility dataset that could be used by multiple project disciplines, including civil engineers, environmental consultants, planners and GIS specialists.

The information also needed to be supplied in digital formats suitable for direct integration into engineering design software.

Premier Energy’s Solution

Premier Energy completed a comprehensive statutory utility search covering the entire 1,300-hectare development.

Our utility consultants contacted all relevant utility asset owners, obtained existing utility records and coordinated the returned information into a single, easy-to-use package.

To maximise usability across the project team, the information was supplied in multiple industry-standard formats, allowing seamless integration into CAD, GIS and engineering workflows.

Deliverables

Premier Energy provided:

• PAS 128 Utility Search Report
• PALM Utility Mapping
• Coordinated Utility Records
• PDF Utility Plans
• AutoCAD DWG Files
• GIS Shapefiles
• Utility records covering approximately 1,300 hectares

Results & Project Benefits

Our utility intelligence enabled the client to:

• Identify existing underground utility infrastructure across a large renewable energy site
• Reduce the risk of utility conflicts during engineering design
• Improve the efficiency of environmental and planning assessments
• Support informed decision-making during project development
• Enable engineers to work from one coordinated utility dataset
• Integrate utility records directly into CAD and GIS software
• Reduce the likelihood of redesigns during construction
• Minimise programme delays caused by unknown buried services
• Improve collaboration between consultants, designers and contractors

Outcome

Premier Energy delivered a comprehensive utility intelligence package that gave the project team a clear understanding of existing underground infrastructure across the proposed wind farm.

The coordinated utility records, together with PDF plans, AutoCAD drawings and GIS data, enabled engineers and designers to incorporate utility information directly into their project designs.

By identifying underground utility constraints at an early stage, the client was able to reduce project risk, improve design coordination and support the successful delivery of this major renewable energy development.

Services Provided

• Utility Search Reports
• PALM Utility Mapping
• Underground Utility Records
• Utility Records Coordination
• PDF Utility Plans
• AutoCAD DWG Deliverables
• GIS Shapefiles
• Renewable Energy Utility Consultancy

Looking for Utility Consultancy for a Renewable Energy Project?

Premier Energy supports renewable energy developers across the UK with specialist utility consultancy services for:

• Onshore Wind Farms
• Solar Farms
• Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS)
• Grid Connection Cable Routes
• Transmission Infrastructure
• Substations
• Renewable Energy Site Investigations

With over 30 years of experience, we help developers identify underground utility constraints early, reduce project risk and deliver renewable energy projects with greater confidence.

Contact Premier Energy today to discuss your next renewable energy development and discover how our Utility Search and PALM Utility Mapping services can support your project.