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Wind Power News: Scotland
These news and opinion items are gathered by National Wind Watch in its noncommercial educational effort 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.
Machars residents turn out in force to view controversial Galloway Hills windfarm proposal
Machars people turned out in numbers to view controversial proposals for a windturbine development in the Galloway Hills. The public engagement event in Wigtown County Buildings last Wednesday, staged by developers RES, followed a similar exercise at Newton Stewart the previous day. The Hertfordshire-headquartered firm envisage constructing 22 turbines up to 800 feet high in Kirkcudbrightshire, east of the River Cree. The Blair Hill Wind Farm scheme is in its early consultation stage and is proposed for moorland and woodland . . . Complete story »
Increased tempo for renewables brings with it ‘raw unfairness’ for rural communities
Campaigners are calling for a better strategy to match the ongoing influx of windfarm developments and applications. Five public information events are being held in Caithness next month to discuss a newly proposed offshore wind farm. The new site, which will see cables being brought ashore at Sinclair’s Bay if approved, appears to be the latest in a growing list of proposed renewable developments across the Highlands. Residents in the council area are no strangers to planning applications for wind . . . Complete story »
Concerns Moray wind farm could impact water supplies
Energy company Vattenfall is looking to build 16 turbines at Aultmore between Buckie and Keith. And a planning application is expected to be lodged by the end of this year with the Scottish Government. However campaign group Folk Against Mega Aultmore Turbines have concerns. 16-turbine wind farm They say the development will disrupt water supplies to homes in the area. And it could disturb an area of peat. But the wind farm company say their pre-application consultations have gone beyond . . . Complete story »
Windfarm site 200m from ancient graves
Three more major windfarm projects are being proposed for the southern approaches to the Galloway Hills. The proposed sites are at Lairdmannoch near Laurieston, Blair Hill in western Kirkcudbrightshire and Glenvernoch, over the Cree in Wigtownshire. Having featured Lairdmannoch last week, the News visited the Blair Hill site on what was a glorious autumn day. Two expeditions were required – to Garlies Castle in Old Minnigaff, the former seat of the earls of Galloway, and, higher up to the north, . . . Complete story »
Campaigners call for two-mile wind farm buffer zones amid reports of rise in accidents
Scotland Against Spin (SAS), the independent alliance campaigning for reform of the Scottish Government’s wind energy policy, says that as more turbines are built, more accidents are occurring, which it claims pose a threat to public safety. The Scottish Government said there was currently no “recommended minimum distance between onshore wind turbines and residential properties” and that health and safety around wind turbines was reserved to the UK Government. SAS say turbines have been involved in hundreds of incidents since . . . Complete story »
Storm of protest over Kirkcudbrightshire windfarm plans
A revolution appears to be brewing over an industrial wind energy scheme earmarked for Kirkcudbrightshire. Developers RES are looking at building up to 22, 800-foot high turbines in Minnigaff parish towards the Galloway Hills. And plans at an exhibition in Newton Stewart on Tuesday revealed the closest tower would stand just two miles north of the town. Company representatives fielded questions in the hall from hundreds of attendees at the five-hour McMillan Hall session. A Cree Valley Community Council survey . . . Complete story »
Protestors show opposition to Dumfries and Galloway windfarm proposals
Around 150 people packed out The Hive at Glentrool to view proposals for a wind farm on nearby moorland. The engagement event staged by developers German renewables giant Energiekontor was set up to gauge public opinion on the bid. However, as the crowd filed, in finding anyone backing the controversial 18 200-metre high turbines at Glenvernoch proved an impossible task. Company representatives brought 50 feedback forms for completion by the public, many of whom were members of protest group Hands Off . . . Complete story »
Scottish wind farms: One village’s battle against turbines
When Keith Brander’s father Donald bought an old schoolhouse in the 1960s, it was a near perfect rural scene of rolling fields, native woodlands and unspoiled views. Since then, four generations of the family have enjoyed long holidays at the whitewashed property; and the landscape, with its small farms, native woodlands and little sign of industry, is embedded in countless happy memories spent savouring the slow, easy pace of life. Since 2007, however, the view from the old schoolhouse at . . . Complete story »
Windfarm warning voiced at meeting
Windfarms were a hot topic once again at this month’s meeting of Moffat and District Community Council (MDCC). Community group Save Our Hills Moffat (SOHM) delivered a presentation on Tuesday night detailing their objections to the proposed windfarms at Scoop Hill and Rivox. The presentation was the second of its kind following a similar presentation by Dr Ashley Lloyd, of the University of Edinburgh at an informal community meeting in August. SOHM described the town as a ‘threatened community’ and . . . Complete story »
How not to go green: The Shetland wind farms
In the midst of a rapidly escalating ecological crisis, the sourcing of renewable energy has taken centre stage in the debate around tackling climate change. Scotland has taken a leading role in creating cleaner energy infrastructure, to the point that according to Renewable Scotland, just shy of 80 per cent of the country’s green energy is sourced from wind generated power. The Scottish Government has set their sights on the location for their next big green energy project. Located in . . . Complete story »
