Viking Wind Farm Questionnaire

[Lewis McArthur]

Hello,

 

I am a sixth year student at Inverness Royal Academy. I am currently studying the Advanced Higher Geography Course. As part of the course, I have to undertake a study of a Geographical Issue which is affecting a community in Scotland. For my study, I have chosen to research the possible impacts of the Viking Energy windfarm on the people and environment of Shetland.

It would be great if some of you could take some time to complete my questionnaire as it would really help me with my project. I realise that you may be busy but if you could do this for me it would be greatly appreciated! Please keep in mind that there are no right or wrong answers and your honest opinion would be great. Thank you!

 

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Shetland Wind Farm Questionnaire

 

1. Are you in favour of the Viking wind farm being constructed in Shetland?

 

a) Yes No c) Not Sure

 

 

2. What, in your opinion, is the worst impact the planned wind farm will have on Shetland?

a) Visual impact

Noise pollution

c) Unreliability of energy source

d) Risk to wildlife

e) Not sure

 

 

3. “Wind farms are essential to help us meet our current and future energy needs.†Do you agree with this statement? If not, why?

 

a) Yes No c) Not Sure

 

 

4. Do you believe that meeting our current and future energy needs are more important than any negative factors created by wind turbines?

a) Yes No c) Not Sure

 

 

5. On balance, do you believe that the economic benefits of the Viking wind farm proposal outweigh the perceived environmental disadvantages?

a) Yes No c) Not Sure

 

 

6. Would you support a smaller wind farm development (less than 50 turbines)?

 

a) Yes No c) Not Sure

 

 

7. In your opinion, should alternative renewable energy sources such as wave power and solar energy be fully utilised before any additional wind farms are built in Shetland?

 

a) Yes No c) Not Sure

 

 

What is your gender:

 

a) Male Female

 

 

Age group:

 

a) 25 or under 25-44 c) 45-64 d) 65+

 

Do you have any additional comments?

[tirvaluk]

1. C

2.A

3.C

4.B

5.A

6.A

7.A

Gender A

Age Group C

[Seaflech]

Hello Lewis,

 

1. B

 

2. A

 

3. C

 

4. B

 

5. C

 

6. A

 

7. A

 

Gender A

 

Age Group B

[unlinkedstudent]

Would this not be better in the Wanted Classifieds Section and ask peeps to pm their answers to you?

 

Good luck with your studies.

[JimIvens]

1b

2c

3b

Wind farms need other generators running in backup to take up the slack when the wind drops - they are not 'green'

4b

5b

6b

7a

Gender Male

Age group c

[Rasmie]

1 c

2 a

3 b - concerned that the damaging effect of manufacture and installation may not be rectified in the life-time of the wind-mill

4 b

5 b

6 a

7 a

Male

age c

[paulb]

1 a

2 a

3 a

4 a

5 b

6 a

7 b at the same time

male

b

 

good luck on your studies

[dtothet]

1. a

2. a

3. a

4. a

5. a

6. a

7. c

8. a

9. a

 

thats a lot of A's

[Claudias]

1 b

2 b

3 b

4 b

5 b

6 b

7 a

8 a

9 d A balancer.

[2lb_saucermeat]

Shetland Wind Farm Questionnaire

 

1. a

 

2. d

 

3. a

 

4. a

 

5. a

 

6. a

 

7. b

 

a) Male

 

a) 25 or under

 

Good luck with the survey.

[Para Handy]

1.B

2.A+B both

3.B

4.B

5.B

6.B

7.A

Gender Male

Age Group C

[Malachy]

1. B

2. Other

3. B The power they produce is so limited and unreliable that it is simply not possible for them to be 'essential'. They can only ever be additional to core power production.

4. B Of course not. If we accept that meeting energy needs are more important than 'any negative factors' then why build wind turbines? If meeting energy needs overrides all negative factors then a whole fleet of coal fired power stations would be much more appropriate. If a wind farm supporter answers yes to this then I am exceedingly confused. Developments must be looked at on a case by case basis, whether you support them in principle or not.

5. B

6. C

7. C

 

Male, age group B

 

Do you have any additional comments?

Yes, one question regarding this questionnaire: Why are we only asked to justify negative answers? Surely positive answers should require justification too. This discrepancy will give your questionnaire an automatic bias against opponents as it suggests our point of view requires justification while support does not.

[Grafter]

1. B

2. A

3. B

4. B. Unreliable energy source.

5. B

6. B

7. A

B

C

[jz]

1. a

2. b

3.c

4.a

5.a

6.b

7.c

Male, Aged 45-64

 

Lewis, I hope your project goes well. You could make your findings available via Shetlink in some way.

[Ghostrider]

1. B.

 

2. A, if I must pick only one, but B,C & D all come a very close second.

 

3. B.

 

4. B.

 

5. B. The economic benefits are wholly theoretical at this stage, and may never materialise. Counting chickens etc....

 

6. C. Would depend entirely on the specifics of each individual plan.

 

7. C. All renewable energy sources such should be researched and the most productive least damaging option(s) utilised. Seems to me a windfarm is being foisted upon us simply because that technology is slightly more advanced than the others, rather than it being the best all round solution.

 

What is your gender: A.

 

Age group: C.