North Lewis windfarm
I confess to being very pleasantly surprised at the announcement by the Government that they would look favourably on a development of up to 50 wind turbines in the area West and South of Stornoway.
The devil is always in the detail, so I'm looking forward to reading the document as soon as it is available, but here's why I surprised:
The prospect of the Sound of Harris generating vast quantities of renewable energy can be achieved by incorporating turbines into the causeway - which will also stop the rows over Sunday ferries - and the same can be achieved over the Sound of Barra.
Is it too late to discuss incorporating some form of renewable energy into the Uist causeways? If not, then please let us ensure that we never have the same omission again.
The future is brighter than it was, so let us grab the opportunities and secure a green future for the islands.
Renewables will never wholly replace conventional power, but over time the impact of tidal power will become hugely important and, yes, it will supercede and replace onshore wind; but only when a working technology is widely available.
* I would have said the same if he had been decisively agaisnt any development
** Just before the relevant election, if you hadn't guessed
The devil is always in the detail, so I'm looking forward to reading the document as soon as it is available, but here's why I surprised:
- I expected the outcome to be bland, civil service speak, and filled with generalities, and it actually seems to have specifics. Kudos and credit to Jim Mather for being decisive*, because
- Our MP and MSP have been lobbying hard against this proposal since they first took an interest in the subject** and having set their sights firmly against any large windfarm, I thought they had the Minister's ear.
The prospect of the Sound of Harris generating vast quantities of renewable energy can be achieved by incorporating turbines into the causeway - which will also stop the rows over Sunday ferries - and the same can be achieved over the Sound of Barra.
Is it too late to discuss incorporating some form of renewable energy into the Uist causeways? If not, then please let us ensure that we never have the same omission again.
The future is brighter than it was, so let us grab the opportunities and secure a green future for the islands.
Renewables will never wholly replace conventional power, but over time the impact of tidal power will become hugely important and, yes, it will supercede and replace onshore wind; but only when a working technology is widely available.
* I would have said the same if he had been decisively agaisnt any development
** Just before the relevant election, if you hadn't guessed
34 comments:
It is dull. Report on Scot Gov website. To me report looks littered with caveats - as Heb News buffets against Angus Campbell quotes.
If an Marine SAC goes ahead in the sound of Barra there will be little chance of any development in the area. Its likely that those who may continue to reside in these desingnated areas may need to fill in a form to flush their toilets.
Our useless MP and MSP promised us that no large windfarm would ever be built, and they got my vote on the basis.
They have just lost my vote for ever.
They have plenty to say about the pointless gaelic language plan but nothing about this. That shows there priorities.
SNP OUT!
The MP and MSP at no point EVER promised that no windfarm would ever be built, they simply lobbied strongly against the North Lewis one for well publicised reasons.
There is a difference between being anti-renewable and against one specific massive windfarm.
Point out to me ANYTHING at all that can prove the MSP and MP came out against every single windfarm or renewable energy project.
Surely it is a question of volume. Do we produce for the islands, or for export.
This report suggests neither and flounders badly in the middle.
Arnish will not rise and flourish from this report.
Good news at last.
2.32 says that the Gaelic Lanuage is pointless, take it your not a native! so your views are pointless. I voted for the SNP even though I am pro windfarms as the alternative was also pointless.
Macsween is very quick to rubbish all that the Scottish Gov do but His party had ample opportunity to approve a Lewis Windfarm when they had the power.
As much as I disagreed with AA's stance on windfarms, at least he stuck to his promise, but now is a different ball game and I am sure that he has listened to the different views and the current economic climate and hopefully he will now do his best to deliver a worthwhile windfarm development that we will all benefit from. Except the guy who thinks that Gaelic is a waste of time, he should'nt get bugger all
Anon 2:32:
"Our useless MP and MSP promised us that no large windfarm would ever be built, and they got my vote on the basis.
They have just lost my vote for ever."
You'll need to learn to fake more convincingly than that.
So how does MWT stand on this decision? Have they become Moorlands without too many turbines (MWTMT) or Moorlands with no more than fifty turbines (MWNMTFT) or just totally pissed off with the SNP.... (MWTTPOWTSNP)
Either way, I think the SNP may have lost votes based on this decision.
Anon e mus What's the problem? There are less than 60,000 people in total speaking gaelic in the UK. How many of those are monolingual or even have it as their 1st language? There are more people speaking other languages so those languages deserve more priority than some obsolete language.
If 2:36 lives here his view on matters affecting these islands is a valid as any one else's. You may not agree with what he says but he is entitled to say it. It's we civilised peple call democracy.
Allan and Macneil led people to believe that they would support public opinion. It turns out that this was restricted to public opinion in north Lewis. This was convenient as the Lewis scheme was unlikely to ever get consent so it was an easy campaign tactic. Meanwhile they have consistently ignored the views of the Lochies and Hearrachs on Pairc and Eishken. The will be getting a few less votes next time round.
Its worth remembering that however desperate we are feeling, these big windfarms are going to be of very limited impact employment wise. Most of the community benefit is locked into the local community, and the WIDT have their own plans for the rest.
7.36 - do you realise that you are a racist! Lots of locals think Gaelic is pointless, that is why they no longer bother to speak it or teach their children. On the other hand the Gaelic Medium units are well subscribed by people who have moved in.
People like you are an embarrassment to the island.
Hebrides News is churning out stories on this. From what I can see though it is all going round in circles and been said before.
How about a bit of fresh vision. The Sound of Harris devlopments at least suggest someone is looking outside the box.
The 'row about Sunday ferries'on the Sound of Harris lasted approximately 5 minutes.
How much money has been spent on planning, meeting, consultants, surveys, legal costs, developer costs, council staff time, tax payesr money etc to date. Millions I bet - and carbon burned? What a waste. What a con.
Having watched the windfarm debate over the last few years, and being a fan of wind generated power, can I make the following observations.
1) There appears to be an broad current of support in principle for wind farming from throughout the islands - provided that they do not become monster farms imposed on communities by the politicians and the multi-nationals
2) There also appears to be considerable support for wind farms developments which are instigated by communities which receive direct benefit from revenue generated, and not a small token payment to keep them quiet.
3) There appears to be an attitude that we have no control over whether these developments get underway or not. Lets have some leadership from either the Comhairle or the Politicos and have the islands take direct control over their destiny. Crumbs from the table of Oppenheimer table - and such carpetbaggers - will be both scant and grudging.
4) Many modest community farms can have the same total generating capacity as a couple of Meggas without destroying the environment.
The benefit which would come from the inter island link studded with tidal generators is too obvious a project to even be considered by our masters at this time - far better to have an expensive ferry which fills the coffers of Cal Mac, and serves only as a choke point on inter island development.
Viewed from Orkney, all this is grand news but the same question that we have here needs asked. Just how is all this electricity going to get south? The Government keeps assigning these big renewable projects in the north and west but there is a deafening silence on the connections. It's willing the ends without the means. Unless of course the government plan to turn the long winter nights into day so it's summer all year round.
anon 3:51PM - and what do we replace them with?! I have yet to see a viable replacement.
Glad 9:46PM made that point - if (s)he hadn't i wd.'ve. i would venture that more locals find gaelic useless than non-locals - certainly they seem to be the ones who are learning it.
It is about time the Sound of Harris fixed link was built, exploiting tidal and wave power generation. Unlike the unpredictable wind power, it'll be possible to accurately predict - months in advance - how much this scheme can and will produce. And unlike nuclear, coal and gas, there's no reliance on base fuel material from increasingly unstable countries.
The Comhairle should bite the bullet and prioritise the Sound of Harris fixed link asap.
I dont think there is support for community schemes. What is happenning here is people are living in fear of the new dictators, sorry community directors, who bully people into keeping quiet.
Has there been open ballots on the community schemes. No there has not. I rest my case.
For a blog "formerly known as Angus Nicolson", there's a lot of Angus all over it. Anyone would think he had nothing better to do than pretend to be other people!
The reason that community schemes are needed by the 'new' community trusts is that they need income to sustain the community estates as there is no wealth within the trusts, so what other real alternatives are there. You may not like them but wind renewables will bring in the return required to maintain estates that are and always have been a financial drain to all that have owned them in the past.
The ballot on community schemes took place when the current directors were voted onto these trusts. These Directors were put in place to work for the benifit of the trusts and to source sustainable income to ensure the survival of community trusts. I aint hearing any suggestions for sustainable income other than wind or wave renewables!!!!
12.53. If the land was worked rather than being abandoned and neglected as we see this would bring in money. I also know our grazings has over £70k in the bank that they have stashed from various schemes. the money is there in the communities. It is just being misused or left in accounts.
The bought out estates were bought out with taxpayers money, and are legally registered charities.
They are not developers but they will have to borrow millions. Can someone explain how this money will be borrowed? What collatoral is being put against it? Are they just to borrow more taxpayers money?
The Urras need to borrow £7 million. How can they do that without putting us all in jeopardy? They refuse to say, but they should be open and honest, not devious and evasive.
Saturday afternoon I was on the Lionel machair and noted the Spors Nis turbine is again horizontal from the last storm. Surely this shows these machines can not cope with the extreme conditions in north Lewis.
Improving the local grid, connecting the archipelago with turbine-enabled causeways and sticking in an interconnector to sell surplus electricity would have many, many advantages. Just do it.
1.02 - are you one of said dictators, oops, directors, coz you do sound like it. The problem is that no-one realised that they were handing over absolute power to a bunch of grant grabbing no-marks, most people thought that they were buying into a local democracy in which there would be transparency and accountability.
It all serves to show how very very damaged the island communities are. It seems to be completely beyond the imagination of our new leaders to behave in anyway other than their own stereotypes of a bullying landlord.
Mike Russel MSP summed it up when he said that there were community trusts behaving worse than any private landlord that they were aware of. It's just a shame that our press no longer has the balls to pursue such stories.
4:23 In the time I've been here, I've mever seen any evidence of the SG ever even thinking about having some. Wonder if they sing Castrati in the local choral group?
2:11 The fact that a wind mill has blown over doen't mean that they are not suitable. I mjust means that that type wasn't suitable.
Shetland & Orkney have them and they don't blow over & their weather is as severe if not more so than ours.
Anon 4.23 said: Mike Russel MSP summed it up when he said that there were community trusts behaving worse than any private landlord that they were aware of.
This is the same Mike Russel MSP who wants to get rid of the Forestry Commission and give it to private landlords. Also the same Mike Russel MSP who is wanting to scrap the crofters bull hire scheme and sell off the stud farm.
p.s. We always knew the SNP were Tartan Tories now we are seeing it working in the parliament. Salmond also giving millions to the Duke of Sutherland "whose ancestors were behind the Highland clearances" of all people.
10.34 and your point is ?
Anon 12.31 Tories in kilts
5.47 - yes they do. The one on Foula is buggerred I was told by a friend who was theer in the summer
The Eoropie turbines are like my ex-girlfriend's knickers: more often down than up.
A closer look at the base of the turbines shows how inadequate the fixings are, good enough for the south of England maybe, but up here...
In the interests of safety I'd suggest an injection of 2,000 tonnes of concrete as a practice run for the result of the next AMEC roadshow (or whoever owns their cast-off wind energy sector now), which I think might be slightly more 'successful' than the last fiasco?
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