The Project and Programme Management Award Shortlist

The Cretheus Project team, Ministry of Defence

Although the UK has the potential to exploit 40 per cent of Europe’s available wind energy and has legal obligations to produce 15 per cent of energy from renewable sources by 2020, the degradation wind farms cause to radar performance results in an MOD policy objecting to windfarm planning applications in line of sight of its radars.

Building on a landmark deal in 2010, MOD staff have seized an opportunity to unite energy companies and three government departments to overcome radar degradation caused by onshore and offshore windfarms. The team have delivered windfarm mitigation solutions with equipment savings of over 25 per cent, unlocking a potential 4.6 GigaWatts increase (80 per cent) in current Renewable Energy production levels.

The project-management approach enabled an extremely swift approval, with multilayered risk-mitigation strategy driving performance enhancements and cost reductions, despite considerable legal complexity. The commercial arrangements will recover over £35m costs from the international energy developers who are now able to construct wind farms in Northern England, Southern Scotland and off the Humber/Yorkshire coast.

The MOD, DECC and the Scottish Government all worked tirelessly to secure this solution, meeting their own requirements as well as those of three international energy companies within both English and Scottish Law. MOD was able to lead this collaborative venture to a successful conclusion, which paves the way for multiple further beneficiaries, with minimal further work, offering considerable savings to Civil Service costs.