Shetland windfarm - Viking Energy

[hoorohell]

People who are against the windfarm have generally in my experience have had concerns about the impact on the scenery.

 

If we don't start seriously considering clean, renewable energy sources, there won't be much scenery left to enjoy.

 

I'm not saying humans are the sole reason for global warming but if we can slow down the process it would be a good idea to try.

[PressedCurdsOfMilk]

Generally I find that people are not so much against a windfarm in Shetland, they are against 200, 130m turbines on their doorstep. An imposing industrial landscape that will ruin Shetland aesthetically and pose a major threat to the stability of the local geology and wildlife.

 

I could live with a windfarm, but not on this scale. I would seriously consider leaving Shetland if this gets the go ahead as it threatens what I love most about Shetland, the unspoilt landscape and wildlife... it would not be the same place. I live in hope that common sense and a sense of proportion eventually preveils over big business and greed.

 

This is interesting (in todays news):

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/north_east/7077654.stm

 

"Shetland has been named among the world's top unspoilt island destinations in a new survey"

 

"unspoilt"... not for much longer!

[Njugle]

Just because it's been in my mind lately:

After spending some ttime recently in the Tingwall, Brig o' Fitch areas, it's reminded me how noisy the windturbine blades are, relatively speaking. I'm all for the current ones, but can't help but cringe for the people of Voe, if VE goes ahead, as to their noise pollution. It was voiced at a public meeting by someone more knowledgable than myself that there is evidence to suggest that prolonged noise of this type could have a profound psychological effect on those inflicted with it. I can believe it after my recent encounters.

[Twerto]

On the topic of Silence..

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/7078882.stm

[sheepshagger]

After spending a few weeks offshore England and seeing the amount of offshore wind farms springing up down there. All close to the point of use with no need for 100+mile undersea cables at £500 million a pop.

I am even more convinced that the only reason that such an expensive option like Shetlands proposed wind farm is just a smokescreen for a nuclear power plant.

The wind resources offshore the UK mainland are more than sufficient for wind generation and all this crap that we have better wind is just so much sprootle.

What we do have that is not available to the rest of the UK is a comfortable distance between us and the major centres of population.

As long as the local planning authority can be overruled by the Scots parliament or the UK government we should be fighting the cable with every last breath we have.

I for one do not want a reactor on these isles but am more and more convinced that is what we will end up with if we let this cable go ahead.

I know that technology has made reactors a much safer bet than they have been previously but I will only start to be convinced about their suitability when they put one at battersea or on the banks of the forth.

I would not like to suggest that anybody up here has prior knowledge of this but anybody involved with this project would have to be a damn fool(what am I saying it's the bloody SIC) if they have not given this option serious consideration.

So come VE tell us why this is not going to happen, why spend so much for a cable when it is plainly not necessary for wind power to provide for the UK energy needs.

 

600MW just happens to be the output of modern fast breeder reactors

[Sudden Stop]

I'm pretty sure the nuclear bogeyman has been covered in this thread somewhere but can't be bothered to look through 40 pages...

 

If the government does replace the reactors that are getting towards to the end of their life, the new ones will go on or near the sites of the originals. The staff, skills and infrastructure are already there, they are 'accepted' by the locals (a lot of which already gaining some kind of employment either directly of indirectly) and the lose of power over long transmittion cables to far flunge islands is not an issue. The cable is still worth putting in for a windfarm because believe it or not, our wind resource IS that much greater than the mainland's to make it worthwhile.

 

There will not be a nuclear reactor in Shetland. Don't worry.

[Peatcutter]

An interesting snippet on problems that can arise because of windfarm developments.

http://www.nwipp-newspapers.com/UH/free/303483267039304.php

In the light of this I am not surprised that the Weisdale fish farm hatchery manager has expressed concern about the V.E. proposals. The Shetland Anglers Association should be concerned too.

I'm pretty sure that massive amounts of silt will be displaced by the construction of a windfarm here.

[sheepshagger]

The plan is for a hell of a lot more reactors than exist at present, and apart from a few nuclear physicists all the skills are here already. Whatever positions can't be filled locally there will be plenty of folk willing to move here for the work so no labour problems.

they will also be using new methods and technology that Britain seriously lacks knowledge and skills for (so more chance of an accident).

Even without a major accident or leaks the fear is always there for a politician

You can almost here them in Whitehall and Edinburgh, how far away can we put it? because you know, well just in case I mean you never can be sure can you. And they do have that cable after all

[clanchief]

An interesting snippet on problems that can arise because of windfarm developments.

http://www.nwipp-newspapers.com/UH/free/303483267039304.php

In the light of this I am not surprised that the Weisdale fish farm hatchery manager has expressed concern about the V.E. proposals. The Shetland Anglers Association should be concerned too.

I'm pretty sure that massive amounts of silt will be displaced by the construction of a windfarm here.

 

Shetland Anglers Association made a written submission to V.E.'s consultants on this very issue about 12 months ago. This problem of silt run-off polluting spawning burns and lochs was a common problem in parts of the highlands years ago when large areas of peatland were trenched for drainage linked to tree planting.

[Peatcutter]

Is this what Shetland roads are in for if the windfarm goes ahead?

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/south_of_scotland/7082830.stm

 

People should be aware of the huge problems of transporting enormous wind turbine components safely.

[islandhopper]

*GGG*

Peatcutter, that's just one section out of 3 or 4 just for the shaft ...

 

Over here we do have (now) special police squads tracking windmill transports and checking them ...

 

Hunting them on short cuts between our motorways and major A-(T)-roads ...

 

Well, that's for the shaft elements only ... the generator gondula of a 2-MW-Gerenator might be a bit heavier ...

 

And that's why they started some new research as announced on the VikingEnergy website.

 

I do think they got it that there might be some more difficulties to bring up such loads to the hilltops other than on "peat tracks" than they have thought before ... They obviously reckongized that they have to cut down to the bare rocks ... or ... as you want ... ;-(

[Njugle]

Nice to see Shetland Windpower doing well and entering onto a national market with "community scale renewable projects".

 

http://www.shetland-news.co.uk/news_11_2007/Windpower%20firm%20expands%20onto%20mainland.htm

[Peatcutter]

Shetland Windpower are not connected with Viking Energy are they? Smaller community projects would be far more acceptable than VE's plans.

I wonder if the VE representatives mentioned the significant local opposition to their plans when they lobbied the Scottish Minister yesterday. Was such a trip really necessary anyway? No doubt the Charitable Trust will have to pick up the tab for their trip. I really feel that the Charitable Trust should not have become involved with VE.

[Njugle]

"I have always been dedicated to domestic and community scale renewable projects and my company is not involved in large-scale commercial wind-farms," he said.

 

Have they started lobbying? That's interesting to hear.

[The Big boss]

The whole Viking Project is mad, mad, mad. Madness driven by avarice and nothing more.