Having already destroyed large areas of Moray with over 100 of their useless wind turbines, Olsen Renewables (Natural Power) have their snouts back in the wind farm trough.
As I predicted some five years ago, they have returned with an application to double the size of the existing wind farm at Cairn Uish (Rothes), but this time 15 of the 18 turbines planned are 406 feet high, the existing ones being a mere 328 feet. For your readers who have difficulty in imagining what this means in visual terms, these new turbines will be 80 feet taller than Big Ben. They will require in excess of 12,000 tonnes of concrete just for the foundations – that’s approximately 900 lorry loads.
The existing wind farm received £5.8 million in subsidies in 2006. This extension, if built, will increase that to over £11 million per annum. So we, the consumers, are actually paying Olsen these vast sums just to destroy our countryside and associated tourism.
I would also like to remind your readers that if this extension is given the green light, with all the other wind farms planned for the area, SSE’s planned upgrade to the existing pylons that run through Moray will be a step nearer. This will mean that many of these pylons will be doubled in height to over 200 feet.
Will the new wind farm supply us with electricity? No! Will it make any difference to climate change? No! Will there be any long-term jobs for Moray? No.
Moray Council rolled over with the original application in 2002 and voted 17-2 in favour of it, and now there are strong rumours that the SNP members intend to ‘block vote’ in favour of all wind farm applications, presumably to show loyalty to their masters in Holyrood who have set meaningless and completely unachievable targets for renewable energy.
No doubt the community councillors who prostrated themselves at Fred Olsen’s feet in 2002 will already be polishing their begging bowls in anticipation. The joke is we are actually funding any community benefit that is eventually offered. – Yours etc,
Bob Graham, Craigsview, Inchberry
11 January 2008
URL to article: https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2008/01/11/plan-on-cards-to-double-size-of-cairn-uish-wind-farm/