Shetland windfarm - Viking Energy

[Ghostrider]

^^ Bonus! I don't think rural areas really want to encourage tourists with an attention and memory span of less than a goldfish.

 

"Look....look....look....its going around....and around....and around....and around....and around....and around....and around....and around........

[crofter]

I'm thinking that the title of this thread should be changed from "Shetland's proposed windfarm" to "Shetlands Definite Windfarm" as I don't think Islanders will have any say in whether it happens or not.

 

Reading through the latest offering from Viking Energy, it certainly seems that way. There is no mention of "if the people don't want it, we won't proceed" any more - they have listened and responded (apparently) and "just over" 50% support the project. Planning application this year and decision next year. It's coming, whether we want it or not.

[khitajrah]

The Shetland News website said that More than ten percent oppose Viking. Seeing as how the Sustainable Shetland petition was absolutely everywhere and folk had more than enough opportunity to sign it then logic would indicate that nearly 90% either support Viking or don't really give a toss either way (which is why they didn't sign the petition). It would seem to me that the majority DO want it, imho.

[crofter]

 

I think a referendum is essential given the level of feeling that has been demonstrated here and in the local paper. While I support the windfarm proposal, if the majority of the population don't, then I would respect that and hope that the powers that be would respect it as well.

 

VE have said from the beginning that there will not be a referendum.

[Guest posiedon]

The Shetland News website said that More than ten percent oppose Viking. Seeing as how the Sustainable Shetland petition was absolutely everywhere and folk had more than enough opportunity to sign it then logic would indicate that nearly 90% either support Viking or don't really give a toss either way (which is why they didn't sign the petition). It would seem to me that the majority DO want it, imho.

I would imagine it's only adults that are signing the petition (I could be wrong) If that's the case, then 2,500 is a lot more than 10% of the adult population.

[nederlander]

^ That's probably true, although I have to say that I think Shetlands youth need much more of a voice in this, after all it's they (and their future families) that will have to live with the windfarm more than most. I would also say that there is, in my experience, a tendancy for older generations to be the most vehemently against the project. I've not spoken to anyone in my circle of friends, the majority of whom are under the age of 30, that are totally against the plans, in the way Sustainable Shetland are.

[Ichorus]

^^^

 

Yeah I think most people I know from Shetland around my age. ranging from 18-30 are happy for it to be in Shetland

[Lowrie]

A large proportion of the folk I've spoken to about this are completely on the fence about this.

 

Wish we had a 'shrugs shoulder' smiley as that's been the reaction of many of them!

[nederlander]

http://www.smileyhut.com/confused/dunno.gif

[Skunnered]

^^That'll do nicely!!

[trout]

Wind farm splits Shetland opinion

DAVID ROSS, Highland Correspondent March 23 2009

 

It could create hundreds of jobs and generate between £23m to £30m a year for the community and help maintain the high level of social provision in the Shetland Islands, long after the oil money runs out. It is also claimed to be capable of meeting 20% of Scotland's energy needs.

 

But many islanders believe the giant wind farm proposed for the Shetland mainland with 150 turbines higher than Orkney's Old Man of Hoy spread over 10,000 acres, will blight their landscape and only serve to attract other developers wanting to erect similar eyesores.

 

This week representatives of Viking Energy Ltd, the company born of a partnership between Shetland Islands Council and Scottish and Southern Energy, will be going round the local communities in Shetland one last time before a planning application for the £600m wind farm is lodged with Scottish ministers early next month.

 

advertisement

They insist they have already listened to islanders' concerns and have reduced the impact: the number of turbines from 192 down to 150; the footprint reduced by 33%; and access tracks by 28%.

 

According to Viking, the project is being developed on behalf of the people of Shetland to ensure that a substantial proportion of the money earned stays there for the benefit of the local people.

 

Indeed, the £18m a year that is predicted to go into the hitherto oil-funded Shetland Charitable Trust, would be more than ever received from the oil companies in one year.

 

With half an eye on the bitter dispute which engulfed the unsuccessful plan to build a 181 turbine farm on Lewis, they have also consulted the RSPB at every step.

 

David Thomson, Viking Energy's project officer sees it as the only obvious way to maintain the quality of Shetland life. But he concedes the project is large.

 

"However, it is a chicken and egg. You can't have a wind farm without an interconnector to transmit the power to the mainland. And you can't have an interconnector without a wind farm, and one with a critical mass of development in order to be able to afford an inter-connector. That critical mass we believe is of the order of 150 turbines.

 

"That's been one of the main drivers of the scale the project. But another driver is the potential of Shetland's wind resource which is massive. Only to do a little bit is not to play your part in fighting climate change. This project could provide 20% of Scotland's electricity demand and about 12% of Scotland's entire renewable energy target. It could offset one million tonnes of CO2 every year."

 

A design for an interconnector is just being completed for the National Grid which would take a cable straight from Shetland to Port Gordon on the Moray coast. Consent will soon be sought from Scottish ministers.

 

But Mr Thomson admits other things have to be achieved to ensure the project's success. A new formula was needed for transmission charging; viable power purchase agreements; and secure supplies of labour and equipment.

 

The final hurdle would be finance. The community could invest some of its oil money, but the bulk would be through borrowing. "It's a question of whether we can achieve acceptable finance."

 

Mr Thomson was confident the majority of islanders support the project. Viking point to an opinion poll commissioned in December 2006 which showed about 75% in favour and a later consultation which showed 50% supporting the project and 42% opposed to it.

 

Billy Fox contradicts this. A photographer with his own business in Quarff, five miles south west of Lerwick, he is chairman of the Sustainable Shetland Group which was founded last year and now has 500 members.

 

"We have a petition circulating that already has 2500 signatures against the scheme," he said. "But it is difficult to get the true picture because 3000 people work for the public sector in Shetland, mostly for the council and a great number of businesses depend on the council.

 

"So there is a huge number who just won't put their name to anything. But the reality is that the people in Shetland are not just worried about this, they are quite scared of it."

[Skunnered]

^^So according to this report, David Thomson has stated that VE still has to get viable power purchase agreements, and they have yet to secure the loans that they need to fund the project. So it would seem that it's a bit premature for anyone to talk about "guaranteed income" at this stage of the proceedings.

[trout]

Mr Thomson was confident the majority of islanders support the project. Viking point to an opinion poll commissioned in December 2006 which showed about 75% in favour and a later consultation which showed 50% supporting the project and 42% opposed to it.

 

I questioned prior the stance of these figures being bandied about in the media glossing over as the "definite article":

 

here on Mon Jan 22, 2007 - There is a statement in the media concerning that "three quarters of the island expressed their support for the plan", which then goes on to detail that it is infact only 502 people over the phone that were interviewed. So thats approximately 375 people that have said yes.

 

To which David Thomson replied:

here on Tue Jan 23, 2007 - MORI stake their professional reputation on their work being open to scrutiny. They set up the survey to be representative. The results suggest a particular outcome. The important words here are ‘representative’ and ‘suggest’. No-one is claiming to have asked everyone in Shetland. Of a representative sample, three quarters were in clear favour. If you think MORI are unscientific or have flawed evidence for their conclusions you should take it up with them. I wouldn’t as they are very protective of their credibility. It is a poll not a referendum. It is nothing more than a useful guide. The guide suggests there is a majority support. That is what we have to continue on the basis of until someone comes with a newer guide.

 

To use these statistics to "suggest" that there is majority support from such a small subset of the population doesn't quite fit right, no? A means to an end, yes - but to what end? "Representative sample" .. ?

[Njugle]

Nicely brought up trout. Reminds me how annoyed I was about it from having first hand experience of the survey.

 

Q: Are you in favour of a wind farm in Shetland.

 

A:Yes, but not a huge one.

 

Well that's a yes then, statistically.

 

It was a leading poll and generated comments that will never be made public.

 

Lies, damned lies, and statistics.

 

In fact, a major source of my early distaste for the whole thing stemmed from that poll.

[Twerto]

LAST week’s media reports of the Shetland Charitable Trust meeting apparently deciding to allocate £2.25m of charitable trust funds to Viking Energy have left me confused.

 

Was this meeting even legal? I ask because the charitable trust meeting quorum is 12. Fifteen attended, four are reported as being unable to take part. This leaves 11 people to continue the meeting, one less than the legal minimum.

 

My understanding is that Bill Manson vacated the chair "for the sake of public perception" and reportedly said he would not take part in the vote, though he said legal advice said that he could if he wanted to.

 

Presumably the same legal advice was given to fellow Viking Energy Limited director Alastair Cooper, who not only declared a conflict of interest, but actually left the room.

 

Clearly the Viking Energy directors are split on the meaning and application of statute law, charity law, and general standards of behaviour in public life.

 

From my point of view the “public perception†here is of dubious conduct trying to walk a legal knife edge.

 

I hope when the charitable trust meets Thursday (26 March) at 10am in Lerwick Town Hall, trustees will have the courage to correct this impression and throw out this mistaken decision of a legally dubious meeting.

 

Too much of Shetland’s money has already been spent on Edinburgh lawyers trying to defend the indefensible, and if left to stand, this decision will leave trustees and the charitable trust open to further challenge from public and charity regulators.