Wind Power News: U.K.
These news and opinion items are gathered by National Wind Watch to help keep readers informed about developments related to industrial wind energy. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions of National Wind Watch. They are the products of and owned by the organizations or individuals noted and are shared here according to “fair use” and “fair dealing” provisions of copyright law.
Millions generated for energy firms when Highland turbines stop spinning
The Highlands’ abundance of wind is generating eye-watering sums for wind farm operators – when they switch-off their turbines. So-called ‘constraint payments’ are made to energy firms when the national grid can’t cope with the amount of power their sites are generating. The payments often far exceed the payment from renewable energy subsidies and have been significant in parts of the north. The constraint scheme started in 2010, and since then, Sutherland wind has generated £63.5 million in constraint payments . . . Complete story »
Campaigners concerned community benefits colour decision on wind farms
Caithness anti-wind farm campaigners have written to Highland Council’s legal department to challenge what they see as a breach of government guidelines in the authority’s planning process. Brenda Herrick of Caithness Windfarm Information Forum (Cwif) believes councillors and planners give too much credence to comments in support of wind farm applications that highlight the financial community benefit involved, often running to six figures. Cwif cites the Scottish Government’s good practice principles for community benefit from onshore renewable energy developments, which . . . Complete story »
Ministers reject bid to expand 48-turbine wind farm near Lauder by quarter
A bid to extend the lifespan of the Fallago Rig wind farm by five years has been given the thumbs-up by Scottish ministers, however. Energy firm EDF Renewables had wanted to add an extra 12 turbines up to 127m tall to the 48 operational there for the last seven years to increase its potential power output from 144 megawatts to 185. Its application has been rejected, though, as ministers have upheld planning reporter David Russell’s conclusion that increasing the number . . . Complete story »
Industry celebrates wind farm approval as campaigners slam ‘hollow victory’
The go-ahead for a huge wind farm off the Norfolk coast has been hailed by the energy industry – but met with despair by some villagers. The Vanguard wind farm will be built 30 miles off the coast of Happisburgh by Swedish energy firm Vattenfall. It will include 158 turbines and generate enough energy to power almost two million homes and create a total of 400 jobs when work is at its peak, Vattenfall said. Danielle Lane, Vattenfall’s UK offshore . . . Complete story »
Worker sustains burns and falls from height at Highland wind farm
An investigation has been launched after a maintenance worker was rushed to hospital with burn injuries and having “fallen from height” at a Highland wind farm. The man in his 30s remains in “serious but stable condition” after being airlifted to Raigmore Hospital in Inverness last Tuesday (23rd), after the incident at the Tom nan Clach wind farm, around 10 miles east of the city. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is investigating, while operator Greencoat Wind UK said it . . . Complete story »
Rare bird and village traffic fears delay world’s biggest wind farm
A bid to build a huge offshore wind farm has been held up because of the impact it would have on an endangered bird and a mid-Norfolk village. Alok Sharma, secretary of state for business, energy and industrial strategy, announced on Wednesday that he was “minded to approve” Hornsea Three wind farm, but the energy company behind it needed to give him more information before the end of September. If completed, it would have a capacity of 2.4 Gigawatts making . . . Complete story »
Huge offshore wind farm gets green light
At least one of three huge wind farm projects planned to be built off the Norfolk coast will go ahead. The government has approved plans for the Norfolk Vanguard wind farm, which is to be built east of Norfolk by Swedish energy firm Vattenfall. And Alok Sharma, secretary of state for business, energy and industrial strategy, said he was “minded to approve” a second project, Hornsea Three, if he is satisfied with what the firm behind that project, Orsted, can . . . Complete story »
Argyle and Bute wind project gains Scottish Government approval
An application to develop a wind farm in Argyll and Bute has been granted consent by the Scottish Government. High Constellation Wind Farm, a project consisting of 10 turbines and an onsite battery storage facility, was supported by environmental, planning and engineering company Arcus Consultancy Services. The decision notice was issued by the Energy Consents Unit over 13 months, one of the fastest determinations from submission to approval for a wind farm decided by the Scottish Government in the past . . . Complete story »
Fallago Rig wind farm expansion bid rejected
One of the longest-running wind farm sagas in the Scottish Borders has taken a fresh twist. The Fallago Rig scheme near Lauder was the subject of a six-year opposition campaign before it finally went ahead. A bid had been lodged to add an extra 12 turbines to the 48 already operational on the site. However, the Scottish government has now rejected those as they would “magnify, intensify and extend” the impact of the current wind farm. The application to build . . . Complete story »
Viking Energy focused on current plans as campaign group worried area around Scatsta could become ‘prime target’ for more turbines
Viking Energy says its focus remains on the 103 turbines it already has consent for after the chairman of campaign group Sustainable Shetland speculated that land near Scatsta Airport could become a “prime target” for a possible extension to the wind farm. The wind farm developer initially proposed 150 turbines but that number was reduced to 103 when turbines in the Delting and Collafirth areas were removed from the plans. A total of 24 turbines were originally proposed for the . . . Complete story »
