Scottish National Wind Farm Conference – Friday 11th November 2011
Communities Against Turbines Scotland
Communities Against Turbines Scotland
Communities Against Turbines Scotland [1] invite you to the
AGENDA
Graeme Pearson MSP will chair the conference.
Exhibition Stands are available for display and networking – please contact Kim [see below] to reserve yours.
A full question and answer session with the panel will follow the morning and afternoon session.
10.00 Coffee and networking
10.30 Opening of the conference by Graeme Pearson MSP – Chair
10.45 Professor Iain MacLeod, Vice-President, The Institution of Engineers and Shipbuilders in Scotland (IESIS) and Chairman of the IESIS Energy Strategy Group
‘The engineering dimension in the planning of wind power generation’
The talk will discuss the uncertainties involved in using wind power to meet the Scottish Government’s main policy objectives for electricity generation – security of supply, affordability, and reduction in carbon emissions. The level of uncertainty is such that an urgent assessment of the situation is needed. The assessment should use an engineered systems approach to seek to get as close as possible to the truth in relation to the effectiveness of wind power. The technical problems of wind generation will be discussed, recently developed estimates of the cost of wind power will be presented and proposals as to what government action is needed will be made. A multidisciplinary engineering approach must be adopted.
11.00 A minute’s silence for Armistice Day
11.02 Colin Gibson, IESIS member, formerly Power Network Director, the National Grid, will speak about the cost of wind power.
11.15 Dr Chris Hanning, honorary consultant in sleep medicine to the University Hospitals of Leicester. He is one of the pioneers of sleep medicine in the UK, founding and developing the Leicester service which is one of the busiest in the UK.
‘Since retirement in 2007, I have spent a lot of time fighting windturbines because of the effect they have on peoples’ sleep. I have given evidence at a number of planning hearings in the UK and Canada. I wrote a review of the subject which is on the internet and, I believe, has been very helpful to a lot of groups around the world. I am actively engaged in research on the problem of windturbine noise, sleep and health.’
11.30 Dr Malcolm Swinbanks, studied for his doctorate in Applied Mathematics under Professor Sir James Lighthill, at Cambridge. Lighthill held the Lucasian Professorship, first awarded to Isaac Newton. Two of Lighthill’s accomplishments – aeroacoustics, the mathematical procedures for jet-engine noise reduction, together with his subsequent analysis of the dynamics of the cochlea (inner ear) – relate directly to the understanding and perception of wind-turbine noise. This background gave Swinbanks the incentive to pursue the practical application of mathematics, working first with the research department of Yarrows Shipyard in Glasgow, relating to noise and vibration in ships and submarines. He successfully pursued the Active Control of Low Frequency Noise, in the process becoming familiar with issues relating to community perception of Low-Frequency Noise and Infrasound. Further experience was gained working with several divisions of Rolls-Royce on Aero-Engine dynamics and Industrial Gas Turbine noise.
In 1994, the US Congress requested him to transfer to the United States his research in underwater low-frequency sound and vibration, becoming Principal Scientist to a US company under contract to the US Office of Naval Research. Research areas included extremely high precision vibration isolation and shock mitigation. Most recently, he was approached by people who are encountering very real problems from wind-turbine noise, in some cases being driven from their homes. He has visited several windfarms where noise is a significant problem, thus gaining first-hand experience of the extremely adverse conditions to which some people are now being subjected.
11.45 Dick Bowdler – Dick Bowdler has been a noise consultant for forty years and was one of the original members of the Institute of Acoustics when it was founded in 1974. He has examined and reported on about 90 wind farm Environmental Statements on behalf of local authorities or objectors and is currently retained by several local authorities in the UK to provide an independent assessment of the noise issues in their windfarm applications. He is also currently employed by RenewableUK, the developers organisation, on the steering group managing a major research project into amplitude modulation in wind turbines.
He has organised and given papers at many national and international conferences. He is on the organising committee of the biennial international wind farm conferences and is co-editor of a book on wind turbine noise due to be published next month.
12.00 Plenary session with the panel of speakers
13.00 Lunch
14.00 Helen McDade – ‘The Trust’s view on the issues around energy as it impacts wild areas – both from an “impacts on wild and natural landscapes” viewpoint and regarding the national strategic aspects which lead to those impacts on the wild land.’
Helen McDade is Head of Policy at the John Muir Trust – a membership organisation which aims to ensure better protection for wild land. Helen’s work involves ensuring the Trust develops effective strategic policies for the protection of wild land. This work is currently particularly focused on strategic energy issues, due to the current number of proposed energy developments which could impact on wild areas. As a key organisation in the Beauly Denny Landscape Group, the Trust worked with economic and electrical transmission experts to make the holistic case that the Beauly Denny overhead line is not required. Helen and her team make sure Trust policies are communicated to decision makers at all levels, from local authorities to the European Parliament.
Helen has worked for the Trust since 2005. She graduated from Edinburgh University and worked as a veterinary surgeon before taking time out of formal work to look after her children. Helen has also worked for WWF Scotland and before that she was involved in health campaigning and lobbying for various organisations.
14.15 Struan Stevenson, MEP, has represented Scotland as a Conservative MEP for the past 12 years. He is Vice President of the European Parliament’s Fisheries Committee, President of the Delegation for Relations with Iraq and President of the Parliament’s biggest Intergroup, the Climate Change, Biodiversity & Sustainable Development Intergroup, which has more than 200 MEPs as members. He is a well-known and vociferous opponent of wind turbines.
Struan’s speech is entitled ‘National Follies’ and will focus on the financial scandal of the race for renewables and the impact of industrial wind turbines on Scotland’s unique landscape heritage and tourism.
14.30 An opportunity for speakers from the floor
15.00 Plenary session with panel
15.45 Roundup by Graeme Pearson, MSP
16.00 Close
To register or reserve a stand contact Kim Terry (kimian.letterpin/yahoo.co.uk)
URL to article: https://www.wind-watch.org/alerts/2011/11/09/scottish-national-wind-farm-conference/
URLs in this post:
[1] Communities Against Turbines Scotland: http://www.communitiesagainstturbinesscotland.com/