Wind Power News: Northern Ireland
These news and opinion items are gathered by National Wind Watch to help keep readers informed about developments related to industrial wind energy. They are the products of the organizations or individuals noted and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of National Wind Watch.
Wind turbine application on hold
Planning applications for two separate wind turbines have been put on hold because their location falls withing a parachute drop zone. At last Tuesday night’s Planning Committee meeting the Planners told councillors the applications for two 46-metre wind turbines by different applicants, to be situated on land near the Cullyramer Road and Movenis Road, fell within the 1200 metre drop zone used by the Wild Geese Parachute Centre, and had therefore been recommended for refusal. “The situation of these two . . .
Report on wind farms is released
People living near wind farms in Northern Ireland could be missing out on significant amounts of money to fund community projects. A report being published in Fermanagh claims renewable energy developers pay about four times more into community funds in Britain than they do in NI. There are 14 community funds in Northern Ireland which receive income from commercial wind farms. However, it is significantly less than similar schemes in Britain. Some communities in Scotland own their own wind turbines, . . .
Council wants to hear all wind turbine cases
Larne Council wants all wind turbine applications to be removed from the streamlined planning list. Currently, proposals for wind turbines can fall under the streamlined schedule, which is designed to allow planners to make decisions on non-contentious applications without formally bringing them before the council. However, it is the view of the local authority – which has a purely consultative role when it comes to planning issues – that these applications are not appropriate for the scheme as they “are . . .
Safety concerns over turbine application
A Carrick couple have voiced their concerns over a planning application for a wind turbine near their home. Yvonne and Robert Picken received notification last month of the plans for a 45-metre turbine close to their property on Liberty Road, which overlooks Carrick and Belfast Lough. They believe the application, submitted by Belfast-based renewable energy company Aircore, raises a number of safety concerns. “We’ve lived here for 30 years and one thing people always comment on is the beautiful view . . .
Green energy prices ‘not passed on’
Lower electricity prices generated by renewable energy are not being passed on to householders, the Consumer Council said. Wind power producers are profiting because the cost is set by the more expensive fossil fuel needed to meet demand in the system. This means they may be over-rewarded for the electricity they generate, the lobby group added. The council has published an analysis of the electricity market. Chief executive Antoinette McKeown said: “The right level of incentives is needed to increase . . .
Test drilling will provide data on wind-energy storage potential
Scientific investigations into Larne’s potential for energy storage is being taken a step further by Gaelectric Energy Storage (GES). Unlike InfraStrata and North East Storage – which hope to excavate underground salt caverns to build up reserves of natural gas – Gaelectric is undertaking exploratory drilling ahead of a proposal to cache compressed air generated by wind turbines at off-peak periods and use it to boost the grid when required. If all goes to plan, GES would build a facility . . .
Former Quinn wind energy company in administration
A wind energy company which was controlled by members of Sean Quinn’s family has been placed into administration. Mr Quinn, formerly Ireland’s richest man, faces bankruptcy proceedings in Dublin on Monday after his NI bankruptcy was annulled. He lost control of his business empire last year when former Anglo Irish Bank appointed a receiver over a £2bn debt. Some Quinn family assets remained outside the receivership process. These included wind farms and a golf course. An administrator was appointed to . . .
Mocraig ‘refusal’
Planners are of the opinion to refuse plans for a wind turbine on a farm near Bushmills. The applicant is Mr Stevan Mooney and the location is 150 metres west of 111 Moycraig Road. The application was for a 250kw wind turbine at 32 metres hub height for farm and grid. Planners say the development would, if permitted, have an unacceptable adverse impact on the visual amenity of the Giant’s Causeway World Heritage Site. They added it has not been . . .
Campus wind turbine development stalled
Members of Coleraine Borough Council were shocked to learn this week that minimum distance rules for wind farms don’t apply to single, double or even triple installations of turbines in residential areas. The news was delivered by a DoE planning officer at the council’s December meeting on Tuesday night at which two local residents were permitted to speak to the chamber on behalf of concerned residents. The University of Ulster, who already operate one turbine at the site, hoped to . . .
Wind turbines ‘have been approved’ in Moyle
A number of wind turbines have been approved in the Moyle area in recent years, Minister of the Environment Alex Attwood has told Moyle Council. In recent times there have been complaints from Moyle councillors about the number of turbines which have been refused planning permission. Supporters of the turbines say it is vital that businesses like farms can use wind energy to cut down on electricity costs during the credit crunch but the impact on the landscape in areas . . .
