View Full Version : Windfarm news
I know were all sick of hearing about windfarms or do care but I've just gotten news that they are wanting to put up as much as 650 in caithness :eek: does anyone else know about this? It's horrific I know theres nothing up here but come on thats abit harsh How can we solve this [disgust]
For info on caithness windfarms go to http://www.caithnesswindfarms.co.uk
I hope this gives you all the info you need
[mad] That's mental I've just been to the site and looked at the map is it just me or there still seems like little interest in this by our county? How come a little village like Keiss make a big noise and be heard with doing a rally about their nursery and nothing has happened with this :mad: people need to hear Thank you for pointing me in this direction
I dont think people realise just how many turbines are proposed for the county.
The Caithness landscape poster launched this week is a great idea, but if the windfarms get the go ahead will have been pointless.
The idea is great but it's a shame how the commitees are not united each area seems to be fighting on there own.Together having rally's in front of the councillor stamping feet and making noise works look at the nurseries and the hospital these people have the right idea we can't give up they haven't :mad:
The hospital, fire service and nursery issues are going to have an instant, direct impact on communities if they are taken away.
While the impact of the windfarms will not be so apparent until they are actually up and running.ie loss of tourism, impact on wildlife etc.
Joan of Arc
01-Jul-05, 11:45
It's a terrible situation and nobody seems to care. The Stroupster Windmills are to be 14metres higher than the existing ones at the Causewaymire. There will be nowhere to go in Caithness where you wont see a windfarm.
We've not got a lot going for us up here already and this will certainly kill off what tourist trade we have.
Is everyone aware that these windfarms require 24/7 backup from power stations?
Has everyone looked at the Caithnesswindfarms site map - I've counted 263 and that doesn't include the other farms which haven't decided how many they are going to erect. They've also got a bit where you can object on line - wish I'd found this before I did my objection. Hope you're all giving this a bit of thought - 'cause except for the power companies and the land owners the rest of us are going to be worse off in every way. We are supposed to be caretakers of our country - you'll not be getting many more wonderful sunset pictures if you don't do something. You will have seen what happened on Lewis where the biggest ever windfarm was given approval dispite 4000 objectors - scary.
This is sounding more horrific as time goes on I know people in the towns aren't interested as it doesn't have direct impact on them. Until there's no money in the towns mind you in 10yrs time I can see the flyers for Wick Come to Caithness and see the Windmill People a dying bred with there weird and wonderful families pay £io at the Ord.At least the house prices will drop because who would want to live or retire here then.Your right Kas but those people put there heart and souls into it and they have all done the county PROUD this is another Dounreay typical Caithness theres nothing we can do then sit back and complain for the next 50yrs I care about Caithness I care about the o zone layer but until were united there will be no change I've just signed up on line Joan of Arc
Joan of Arc
01-Jul-05, 14:49
Hi Haribo
You may be interested in www.swap.org.uk - Subsidies & Subterfuge.
hydro power is cutting back on production
Solar power trials has been shelved......................
Scot Exec Marine Energy Centre in Orkney a joint £30million Scottish Power/OPD project for a wave farm near Orkney has been shelved.................
My friend - you are about to have windfarms - with all the associated troubles they will bring. That's WHY they are up here. I thought people already had health issues with pylons and electricity cables well, you'll have plenty more. It's basically accepted that they are inefficient but I feel that the enormity of it all has kinda been quietly sneaked after we got a bit bored to death with the early discussions but I don't remember reading about these huge numbers. You'll get used to them ha ha ha
Hmm, seems like my post here (http://www.caithness.org/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=2858&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=windfarm&start=60) was a tad prophetic....
http://app100828.applicabroadband.net/images/CaithnessWind.gif
http://hometown.aol.co.uk/MadPict/images/flaminmad.gifMadPict
http://app100828.applicabroadband.net/BumperStickers/Offshore.jpg
Sorry guys just noticed that 451 people have looked at this site and 9 have anything to say the thought that comes to mind is ostridichs :confused :confused
Bobinovich
02-Jul-05, 22:09
From what I understand, Caithness is already generating more than it's share of electricity per head of population, so why should we sacrifice our superb countryside and views to provide inefficient power for everyone else?
Yes, windfarms may provide short term construction and transport jobs and a handful of maintenance positions, but they're not going to give us any long term security to offset the losses we will experience at Dounreay, Norfrost, etc.
Windfarms may also pump subsidies into the communities but I doubt it will compensate for lower house values, a ruined tourist industry and many other losses the county will experience.
Give me a suitably-sized nuclear power station based at Dounreay any day. I'm sure it would generate more power in it's lifetime than all the proposed Caithness windfarms put together (at least it can run at full strength all the time!). It would definately ensure many more jobs are kept locally as possible - the skilled workforce is already in the county, put their experience and knowledge to use before too many leave the area for good.
I'm sure there are many other points to be made but, at the end of the day, windfarms are not going to benefit Caithness in the long term. I can only suggest you visit the Caithness Windfarms Information Forum (CWIF) site (www.caithnesswindfarms.co.uk) and click the Object Now link at the bottom of the home page. Bookmark the page and object on every new planning application which comes along.
BTW I am not a member of CWIF myself - simply peeved off about the 'rape' of our county by developers and landowners who give no thought to the residents of Caithness.
Sorry guys just noticed that 451 people have looked at this site and 9 have anything to say the thought that comes to mind is ostridichs :confused :confused
Maybe they were like me and didn't know what to do but I have now visited the website and lodged my objections and passed the link on to others.
I think it will a disaster for Caithness in many ways if these proposed windfarms become a reality. Very worrying!!! :(
We get more of em cos the landscape suits em. In switzerland I didn't see one, I wonder why? Meh, anyway they dont bother me, I rather like em. They will only last for 25 years, or less if it gets too windy.
Riff
Haribo wrote:
Sorry guys just noticed that 451 people have looked at this site and 9 have anything to say the thought that comes to mind is ostridichs
Actually I thought of Chicken Licken :roll:
Bobinovich - I take it by "subsidies" you mean "Community Benefit" paid by wind farms - but the companies have no legal obligation to pay anything at all to the community, they can decide whether or not to do this!
Riffman, I wonder if you would continue to like wind turbines if a company proposed to erect them very close to your house bringing with them all the related problems?
What are the related problems (apart from the Aesthetics)?
Noise and the flicker or strobe effect are two that I am aware of. I am not a member, but the windfarm information forum may well be able to give more information.
Bobinovich - I take it by "subsidies" you mean "Community Benefit" paid by wind farms - but the companies have no legal obligation to pay anything at all to the community, they can decide whether or not to do this!
I would like to comment on the subsidy and Community benefit of Windfarms.
Windfarms get a 2 pronged subsidy.
1. Selling Price
Renewable energy suppliers are allowed to sell electricity to the National Grid at approximately double the price that other generators do eg nuclear, coal and gas. From the last figures that I saw this was about 5p per kWh compared with a capped 2.3p per kWh for nuclear etc. This is in effect a subsidy which is passed onto the consumer, you and me.
2. Renewable Obligation Certificates (ROCs)
These are a subsidy paid by Government (ultimately you and me through taxation) to encourage the proliferation of renewable energy generators. For every mWh a certificate is issued to the generator, this certificate can then be sold to another generator to shore up their renwable obligation or they can be redeemed as money. The price of ROCs are not fixed, they can be auctioned off and sold like shares. The last time I looked they were being sold for £42 per certificate though as more windfarms get built and the the Government meets its targets, the price should drop.
Community Benefit
This is a payment to the local Community by the renewable energy company, a sweetener for allowing them to build their machines near communities. There is no legal obligation to do this but it is reasonable to assume that fewer windfarms would get the go ahead without it. Currently, the Scottish executive recommends a reasonable level of benefit of £1000 per 1MW. This can be rather misleading as it could be assumed that Causeymire (48MW) will give £48000 to Caithness. I rather suspect from what I have read, the amount is based on the average power rating over the year rather than on the maximum power rating of the windfarm. As the average load factor in 2004 was 24.1% then Caithness will receive less than £12,000.
Operationally, the £1000 per MW will represent only about 1% of the windfarm electricity revenue, whether you think 1% is enough of a sweetener is up to the individual's judgement, it is not enough to me.
I find it a bit disappointing that some people think that those against windfarms are over reacting I do not over react I just care for the community. In 25yrs when all those who are not listening now turn and complain, about all things that have gone wrong including lose of business lose of population, lose of jobs ,the noise,the scenery etc etc ... I will have pride in myself and the others that have tried and be able to tell my children I did my best but I'm sorry nobody would listen. By the way I've heard that there's no money for taking the windmills down after there done and no way they'll take out the base of concrete that is the size of Wembley Stadium that holds up each windmill.Scotboy you seem interested in keeping busness in Thurso take you don't realize loads of the sites are around there so good luck with your business head you'll need it
I find it a bit disappointing that some people think that those against windfarms are over reacting I do not over react I just care for the community. In 25yrs when all those who are not listening now turn and complain, about all things that have gone wrong including lose of business lose of population, lose of jobs ,the noise,the scenery etc etc ... I will have pride in myself and the others that have tried and be able to tell my children I did my best but I'm sorry nobody would listen. By the way I've heard that there's no money for taking the windmills down after there done and no way they'll take out the base of concrete that is the size of Wembley Stadium that holds up each windmill.Scotboy you seem interested in keeping busness in Thurso take you don't realize loads of the sites are around there so good luck with your business head you'll need it
Well said Haribo! I thoroughly agree with you!
However, I would add that I am not completely against windfarms, I just feel that they should be more appropriately sited - away from houses and off the beaten track where they can offend no-one.
What about houses and buildings that "blot" the landscape?
It doesn't matter how far off the beaten track you put windmills, someone will always complain.
There are proposals to put nearly 60 turbines in the Solway, out at sea where you would have thought no-one could object to them? Wrong, the Friends of the Lake District say they will be visible from Scafell and the northern fells and will ruin the view despite being 25 miles away. A wind turbine at that distance looks like a matchstick from the length of a cricket pitch.
You've also got to remember that, to the rest of the UK, Caithness is "off the beaten track", part of its' charm but also why developers see it as an easy target for windpower.
I don't mind windfarms at all I'm for green energy, out atsea maybe good as out sea's have had so much add to it (rigs etc) and the goverment has pulled away our fishing but as our soon to be friend from Cumbria has pointed out were out the way just because we don't have big industries doesn't mean that there's nothing but sheep up here!!!!!!!!!!!.There was a complaint not so long ago that were not producing a big enough population to have a big Hospital is this what we get instead WHY is it always Caithness I'm tired of us being used. Why can't they put them in industrial cities like London etc theres plenty
By the way scotboy the houses mean theres people in them and people mean business you can't get business with this windmill's ther electric not flour mills!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :eyes
So it is okay to damage the landscape for business then?
Joan of Arc
06-Jul-05, 14:18
Reghead
What are the parameters of a community - the community as per Highland Council or the community suffering the invasiveness of a nearby windfarm? - they will not be one and the same. With ref to the bebefits I believe that any money received by the community has strings attached.
The funds are to fund ONE cause and the community must be unanimous in deciding what that will be. If not there will be no benefit paid. Wher are you going to find that number of people supporting ONE cause?
Reghead
What are the parameters of a community - the community as per Highland Council or the community suffering the invasiveness of a nearby windfarm? - they will not be one and the same. With ref to the bebefits I believe that any money received by the community has strings attached.
The funds are to fund ONE cause and the community must be unanimous in deciding what that will be. If not there will be no benefit paid. Wher are you going to find that number of people supporting ONE cause?
As far as I am aware the "community" are the residents living around/near the windfarm. People within that community do not benefit personally - the money is used for one cause.
However, I think that control of the loot from the Causewaymire windfarm is being controlled by Halkirk and not by the community of Spittal - no doubt someone will correct me if I am wrong!
Any agreement re Community benefit will be a contractual agreement between the energy generator and the community and any failure to pay it should be a breach of contract. I am unsure by what is meant by 'strings attached' as the conditions and amount paid will be agreed by both parties. If it is correct in that unanimity is required for benefit to be paid then I am 100% sure that the 'Use it or Lose it' motto will prevail...there is always another year?
BTW For anyone that is interested, I have read in the New Scientist that Dr David Bellamy is taking a backward step on the whole windfarm and Global Warming sceptic scene. He has admitted that his Global warming sceptism is flawed.
Don Quixote
06-Jul-05, 14:55
... also remember that there is no legal obligation for the community benefit to be paid!! It is entirely up to the windfarm to decide!
Joan of Arc
06-Jul-05, 16:03
We only have until Friday to object so, come on kinsmen, let's see if we can make a difference; make the Government understand that we will support truly renewable energy but not this waste of the taxpayers money. Object NOW - you are welcome to use www.caithnesswindfarms.co.uk for this purpose - it only takes a couple of minutes and don't forget you can object for family and friends as long as they give you permission. All you ex-pats & people who are thinking of moving or holidaying in the North make your voices heard as well !!!!!!!!
It was also said that David Bellamy took a back seat because his reputation was getting a hard time and that underhanded tactic always works.I wonder has anyone told there children it's there future to the one's old enough have a right to fight to.It's time maybe to show these kids in laymans terms what is happening I know that there is loads that aren't happy about Dounreay and the beaches, so why would they be happy with this kind of future
Wind turbines a breeze for migrating birds
18 June 2005
From New Scientist
MIGRATING birds seldom dice with death among the spinning blades of wind turbines. Instead, they give them a wide berth, according to a study of a Danish offshore wind farm.
To see whether the 13,000 offshore turbines planned for European waters would be a hazard to migrating birds, Mark Desholm and Johnny Kahlert of the National Environmental Research Institute in Rønde, Denmark, used radar to track flocks of geese and eider ducks around the Nysted wind farm in the Baltic Sea. The farm's 72 turbines are laid out in rows with their blades 480 metres apart.
Desholm and Kahlert found that the birds flew almost exclusively down the corridors between the turbines, with less than 1 per cent getting close enough to risk collision. The birds gave the turbines an even wider berth at night, sticking more closely to the middle of the corridors. Many also avoided the wind farm altogether. The researchers found that while 40 per cent of flocks in the survey area crossed the wind farm site before construction started, only 9 per cent ventured among the turbines once they were operating (Biology Letters, DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2005.0336).
Kahlert stresses that the study only looked at migrating birds and not birds living in the area. Previous studies suggest that there are fewer resident birds in the vicinity of turbines (New Scientist, 7 May, p 10).
Well so much for migrating birds but what about our resident Golden eagles? I am waitng for the Bird Report Pt 2. So offshore windfarms are largely in the clear, if non migratory birds are seen to be largely unaffected by windfarms then I might rethink my anti-land based windfarm stance...
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