October 23, 2015
Scotland

Radical turbine plan blown out by community

By Liz Rougvie | Fife Today | 23 October 2015 | www.fifetoday.co.uk

A proposal to create the first community windfarm of its kind in Scotland on farmland near Strathkinness has run into opposition.

Edinburgh-based Temporis Wind has lodged an application with Fife Council for three 46m shrouded turbines on land at Claremont Farm.

The land is owned by Allan Myles and falls within the Cameron Community Council area.

The turbines are manufactured by the American company Ogin International, which says that their radical design means they don’t have to be so tall as conventional turbines, so they are more efficient; airport and radar compatible and less likely to adversely affect the environment.

Temporis had hoped to take the project forward as a community development, with people living in Cameron and Strathkinness investing in the hardware, receiving a dividend in return and raising funds for community projects.

But the idea received a lukewarm response.

Cameron Community Council chairman Gordon Ball said: “We have hosted an information evening with representatives of Ogin, Temporis and the landowner present and listened carefully to what they had to say.

“We attended a further meeting at Strathkinness and we have no evidence that the scheme is supported by the communities and there is no interest in creating an enterprise to take this forward as a community wind farm.

“It is unlikely people will vote for something they do not want in their area”.

Several Ogin prototype turbines have been operated in the United States over the past five years and the company’s first UK deployment, at a site in Greater Manchester, is currently in the planning process.

The Ogin turbine uses a much smaller rotor than a conventional turbine and this is contained within a shroud or cowling system. Ogin says its design reflects a ‘new approach’ to energy generation.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2015/10/23/radical-turbine-plan-blown-out-by-community/