January 28, 2020
Scotland

Yell wind farm developer takes six turbines out of plans

Chris Cope | Shetland News | 28 January 2020 | www.shetnews.co.uk

Plans for a wind farm in Yell have been reduced by six turbines as its developer seeks to address concerns from agencies including Historic Environment Scotland and others.

A further six turbines have been shortened in height by 20m to 180m as part of the revised plans for the proposed Energy Isles wind farm in the north west of Yell.

The wind farm project, which is backed by Norwegian energy giant Statkraft, now proposes to build 23 turbines.

It had already been scaled back from initial plans of up to 63 turbines.

The updated plans are going on show at the Cullivoe Hall in Yell on Tuesday 4 February from 12pm to 7pm.

Members of the project team will be on hand to answer any questions from the public.

Reducing six turbines and shortening another six comes as Energy Isles looks to mitigate concerns from Historic Environment Scotland, Scottish National Heritage and Shetland Islands Council.

Energy Isles Ltd director Derek Jamieson said: “It is important to us to put forward a design that will be both efficient and environmentally acceptable. We believe we have succeeded in our ambition to do this.

“Through conversations with local folk at our two previous public exhibitions in the North Isles, plus regular meetings with the community liaison group, we received helpful feedback that played an important part in shaping these updated plans.”

Project director Charlotte Healey added: “We have continued to work behind the scenes with key statutory consultees and this has led us to the final layout and design that we will be showing to people at the exhibition.”

Supplementary environmental information will be submitted in the spring to the Scottish Government’s energy consents unit.

The project team added that if approved, construction of the project is expected to take approximately two years.

It was previously stated that the wind farm would have a potential capacity of between 145MW and 200MW.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2020/01/28/yell-wind-farm-developer-takes-six-turbines-out-of-plans/