Shetland windfarm - Viking Energy

[Breiwick123]

Can anyone tell me why Sustainable Shetland are only reporting 9 councillors to the Standards Commission, and not all 12 that voted?.

[ArabiaTerra]

Can anyone tell me why Sustainable Shetland are only reporting 9 councillors to the Standards Commission, and not all 12 that voted?.

Good point, all twelve had the same alleged conflict of interest, so all twelve should have been reported, yet "sustainable" Shetland have chosen to only to report those they disagree with.

 

Yet more hypocrisy from "sustainable" Shetland, but after Total, it doesn't surprise me.

 

Would you care to comment KTL or PJ?

[JustMe]

I think that if SSE are not able to provide a reliable service at least within Lerwick during the current wintry weather they should not be allowed to set a foot into providing alternative energy. Twice today my computer has crashed due to blips in their electricity supply and while I would accept that in country areas I do not think it is acceptable within Lerwick. Also think we ought to get a minimum of a fiver for every interruption to our electricity supply.

[paulb]

lightning at sumburgh. not there fault realy.

[unlinkedstudent]

lightning at sumburgh. not there fault realy.

 

Indeed there is. Couldn't believe it this afternoon when I was out with the mutts - snow blizzard accompanied by thunder and lightening.

 

Now what would happen if one of those nasty wind turbines got struck? What protection measures are in place?

[paulb]

they have lightning conductors. the turbine blades are non metalic and the electric stuff will have cut off systems the towers are fine. same principal as being safest in a car . now what would happen if the lightning hit the smokey power station. or worse a nice gas tank full of gas.

[KTL]

Thanks for invite AT

 

9 councillors voted for their own project.

 

9 councillors will now have to justify their actions to the Standards Commission.

 

It's not very complicated.

 

If they had voted against, or abstained, they could reasonably argue they had managed to separate their personal interests as Councillors and as Trustees and owners of 90% of Viking Energy Limited.

 

Their recommendation to approve was based on who the applicant was, not planning law.

[Graeme_Storey]

'Non-metallic' is no safeguard against lightning.

 

With rain covering the blades, they could easily have to take the full force of a discharge.

 

Trees are non-metallic, and yet they can very dramatically explode when hit by lightning. In fact they explode so effectively because of not being metallic, meaning that the discharge has to flow through the next most conductive part of the tree (the sap), which is why the water in their sap spontaneously boils - but has nowhere to go - just builds up pressure and BOOM...

 

Lightning conductors certainly would help, as they tend to draw the discharge through themselves but, even then, lightning is very unpredictable.

 

When the sky is charged, it is very much a percentages game you have to play with lightning will strike.

 

Just my tuppence worth...

[jz]

...

 

9 councillors will now have to justify their actions to the Standards Commission.

 

...

 

Not necessarily. The Standards Commission may not take the complaint on. See http://www.standardscommissionscotland.org.uk/investigation_guidelines.html

 

Having completed the initial screening process the CIO may find:

that the complaint is irrelevant or inadmissible; or

that the allegation is of such a nature and extent that, in all the circumstances, including the proper use of public funds or the public interest, no further enquiry is appropriate or required.

[paulb]

'Non-metallic' is no safeguard against lightning.

 

With rain covering the blades, they could easily have to take the full force of a discharge.

 

Trees are non-metallic, and yet they can very dramatically explode when hit by lightning. In fact they explode so effectively because of not being metallic, meaning that the discharge has to flow through the next most conductive part of the tree (the sap), which is why the water in their sap spontaneously boils - but has nowhere to go - just builds up pressure and BOOM...

 

Lightning conductors certainly would help, as they tend to draw the discharge through themselves but, even then, lightning is very unpredictable.

 

When the sky is charged, it is very much a percentages game you have to play with lightning will strike.

 

Just my tuppence worth...

true but they must have sorted it or there would be lots of smoking turbine all over the world.

http://www.supergen-wind.org.uk/Phase1/docs/Peesapati%20,%20Cotton-SupergenNanjing2009_2.pdf

quickly glancing at this it seems its covered. a number of british standards cover the protection.

[Graeme_Storey]

Thank you paulb - that is an excellent PDF about the problem.

 

Conductors in each and every blade is great way to do it.

 

Still, I bet you lightning will have a few folk worrying......

[Graeme_Storey]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBrYJKCQ72g

 

This is the Enercon E-126, the first wind turbine with 6 MW rated power, rotor diameter: 126m (413ft), hub height: 135m(450ft).

 

Think about the hills full of these monsters...

 

Apologies if this has already been posted.

[JustMe]

lightning at sumburgh. not there fault realy.

I beg to differ. Lightning 20+ miles away should not cause problems in Lerwick. I think their system needs improving to give a secure service except in the area directly affected by the lightning.

[paulb]

well ours went off for a few minutes. that's 50 miles away. however if the supply is hit a few times it could easily trip the safety systems. still look on the bright side it was off for only minutes. if the system was very poor we could be off for days. lets be grateful that the lecky workers do such a good job of keeping the power on.

 

the only way you could protect the system from lightning is if you were to bury all the cables. imagine the cost.

[shetlandpeat]

You could have some new money pumped into the mini grid you have. GOV are insisting that we take more renewable energy and they are going to allow an increase in the fuel costs to customer. But burying all dem cables in peat?? The land breathes with the peat decomposition, you would have to remove all the peat in every trench and every rock.

When this happens, at present there will be no sustainable power generation on the Isles and fuel payments will go south.

Now it seams that to ignore the income that the turbines may have and fight against them without offering a same cost alternative is going to cost the WHOLE population quite allot more cash, shop prices will increase, fuel poverty will increase. With the cuts to folks standards of living and the silence of the VOXPOX, we are all into having a fun time soon.