February 17, 2018
Scotland

Towering turbine plan

Plans for world’s tallest turbines spark opposition | By David McPhee | The Press and Journal | 17 February 2018 |

The developers of the controversial offshore windfarm at Aberdeen Bay have revealed the turbines will be the biggest in the world – prompting renewed fears it will be an “eyesore” on the landscape.

Vattenfall confirmed at a public consultation yesterday that the project will feature the globe’s tallest and most powerful turbines once construction is finished later this year.

Sitting nearly 15 miles off the Aberdeen coastline, the development will feature 11 turbines about 625ft tall.

That means they will be double the size of Big Ben, the equivalent height of 19 double decker buses, and their collective size will equate to more than five Empire State Buildings.

Last night, the project was criticised by a local campaigner, who argued they would cause health concerns.

The company has claimed the turbines are capable of powering one household for an entire day with one turn and, once finished, they be capable of delivering 70% of Aberdeen’s total energy demand.

Kevin Metcalfe, Vattenfall’s turbine package manager, said: “It’s very exciting for us to be using these turbines. They will be the largest offshore wind turbines in the world.

“This is a really innovative project which will bring a positive change to the community.”

The Aberdeen bay windfarm will be significantly taller than both the Gemini wind farm in Holland, which measures 505ft and the London Array development at 482ft.

Mr Metcalfe and windfarm installation manager Alistair Leighton insisted the windfarm will be ‘virtually silent’ once finished and therefore will not disturb any mammal or marine life living in Aberdeen Bay.

However, the proposals were condemned by veteran campaigner, Edna Booth, who has battled against the development for many years from her home in Blackdog.

Mrs Booth said: “They are going to be an eyesore and the health concerns worry me. It is bound to affect us and people don’t realise this.

“We are standing up against them. The cables are coming in at the beach. We were promised access, but this has been blocked off. It likes look a bomb site.

“We did complain to Vattenfall, but they don’t respond very often. They have a smart answer for everything they are doing.”