Shetland windfarm - Viking Energy

[Urabug]

20 hours ago, Davie P said:

SIC embarks on campaign for cheaper electricity prices

I'm not sure how much leverage the SIC has, but it's a move in the right direction

What is stopping the SIC from being a "service provider" and giving us all energy at wholesale prices.

Why can Viking energy not sell directly to us all !

[George.]

5 hours ago, Urabug said:

Why can Viking energy not sell directly to us all !

Why can't they be sold to us? Why not?

45% of it's owned by the Charitable Trust.                                        

[MuckleJoannie]

2 hours ago, George. said:

45% of it's owned by the Charitable Trust.                                        

Not any more. They still have a stake but it's a small one as they didn't want to risk putting up money for the construction.

[Capeesh]

One of the problems is the way the national grid charges suppliers is way out of date when you take renewables into consideration. This link explains it better than I could...

https://thecommongreen.scot/2016/09/12/grasping-the-grid/.

The gist of it, as far as I understand it, was it made sense before renewables to build the infrastructure close to population centres and take the fuel to them, (coal, oil, gas,uranium), the further away from those massive power stations and population centres = higher infrastructure/transmission loss costs = suppliers have to pay higher charges to supply the grid. This gives suppliers an incentive to build their power stations closer to the people who use the most. This is completely turned on its head when it comes to wind generation. 

Looking at the maps of transmission charges for suppliers and who pays most for electricity, links...

https://images.app.goo.gl/zkzYWEd6Yyq6dMiS7

https://images.app.goo.gl/W8TwvB71hcu4D3By8

It seems to me the elephant in the room for our council looking for change in the way electricity is charged is a political one. If you superimposed the map where electricity is cheapest and the map where suppliers have incentives to build power stations against a map where most MP's are elected my guess is there would be a convergence which means persuading any UK government, Tory or Labour to change the status quo would be problematic.

Edited February 28, 2021 by Capeesh

[Muckle Oxters]

I see dirs a 50mph restriction bein pittin in place atween Sandwater and Nestin. Good luck we dat. Folk dunna seem tae be able tae stick tae da usual 60mph in da first place! Easy pickings for da boys (and girls) in blue.

https://www.shetnews.co.uk/2021/03/05/speed-restrictions-to-be-imposed-on-a970-during-wind-farm-construction/

[Ghostrider]

On 27/02/2021 at 22:15, MuckleJoannie said:

Not any more. They still have a stake but it's a small one as they didn't want to risk putting up money for the construction.

Just how much is the SCT's share these days, does anyone know. They've never exactly been forthcoming with any meat on the bones of the 'deal' they struck with SSE.

If they put in no more money than was in when they last admitted how much they'd spent on it, at a guess they can't have much more than a 1-2% stake these days, and Burradale, if they're still in, something like 0.05-0.1%

[MuckleJoannie]

I've had a look at the various Viking Energy bodies (LLPs, Ltd companies) on Companies House and it seems the SCT had put in a fixed sum and won't be putting in any more. I've not yet seen if anything comparable for SSE is available. I'll leave it to a time when I'm a bit more awake.

[peeriebryan]

Here's some interesting info on the proposed power transmission lines and routes - https://3dwtech.co.uk/dashboard/ssen/shetland/exhibition/

You can grab the screen and swoosh it aboot

[George.]

^See if you swoosh it aroond a bit, can you then grab the screen?

 

Edited June 1, 2021 by George.

[Muckle Oxters]

Whit's abody tinkin o da turbines noo dat dey ir startin to go up?

I'm tinkin dat dey irna as big and imposin as I wis expectin. I tink dey look quite elegant actually!

[Spinner72]

I genuinely beam fae lug ta lug as I go by dem. No secret on here I am been a huge fan o da project fae da earliest whisperings back in da 80's, so it's lik a dream come true.

I think dir splended, but also delighted ta see da landscaping wark dats gone on too.

Ta think o aa da ranting fok is hed aboot yun but dir wisna a pleep aboot da monstrosity o a gas plant dat wis biggit just a peerie while ago (let alon da rest o Sullum Voe afore it) just beggars belief ta me.

[MuckleJoannie]

The gas plant is almost invisible. About the only place in Shetland you can get a clear view of it is Ollaberry.

Those of you who think the windmills are not intrusive have you been to Aith. It feels as if they are right on the edge of the village.

[Colin]

16 hours ago, Spinner72 said:

I genuinely beam fae lug ta lug as I go by dem. No secret on here I am been a huge fan o da project fae da earliest whisperings back in da 80's, so it's lik a dream come true.

I think dir splended, but also delighted ta see da landscaping wark dats gone on too.

Ta think o aa da ranting fok is hed aboot yun but dir wisna a pleep aboot da monstrosity o a gas plant dat wis biggit just a peerie while ago (let alon da rest o Sullum Voe afore it) just beggars belief ta me.

I haven't seen any of it yet but, I'm a little puzzled at you delight with Shetland being (once again) ripped off with almost no benefit to the local population.  Can you explain it to me in simple terms?

[Muckle Oxters]

On 04/06/2023 at 09:16, Colin said:

Shetland being (once again) ripped off with almost no benefit to the local population.

I doot da landowners are makkin a pretty penny oot o it! 

Devil's advocate here... but why wid da local population benefit fae a commercial development on idder folk's land? Should folk be compensated because dey dunna like da look o somethin? Whit's a realistic expectation?

[MuckleJoannie]

Quite often it is a condition for commercial developments that the developer pays for infrastructure improvements, eg a roundabout, which is a benefit for the local population.