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Shetland windfarm - Viking Energy


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The trouble that I can see with giving the council money from the project is that it will be wasted, and used to create even more pointless jobs/departments. There is far far too many people already working for the SIC.

 

I think any income must go towards making the cost of living cheaper and/or boosting the Shetland economy by helping our own industries compete so they are at least on a level playing ground with mainland UK/Europe. We already have very high living/transport costs.

 

Giving money to the council to do whatever they like with it is madness in my opinion. Where the income goes is an area that needs lots of debate.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Ironic that there was hardlly any wind today when the Busta House event was taking place!

It would have been better had proper public consultation taken place before such a high profile event which attracted nationwide media attention. The implication being given was clearly that Shetlanders were all in favour of this proposal when, I suspect, a significant number have misgivings about the scale of all this.

Turning the Central Mainland of Shetland into a giant industrial complex is something that I cannot agree with.

It is to be noted that the Lewis wind farm proposals have attracted a huge number of objections. It is to be hoped that Shetland will follow their good example when proper consultation is undertaken.

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One of the problems I see is that there is no proper way in which the public can be heard, not everyone can use the internet, especially older people whom usually have more interest in our current affairs. Most of the people I meet has some concerns about this project.

 

I do think a wind farm has the potential to be an enormous boost for Shetland. I think if conducted properly, it could be one of the best things that has ever happened here. I however am very sceptical about who its going to benefit.

 

I think most of the money will end up over the years being used to boost spending within the council. More internal jobs, more over the top money-no object, wasteful construction projects, FAR more waste, more council perks, more payrises, more new offices, MORE job security (VI's main plus point), more inefficiencies.

 

I keep hearing the vested interests pleepsing on about how the people of Shetland if given cheaper electricity will want to waste more, that in itself is not only untrue and very offensive to us but also hypocritical. The council has a woeful track record on efficiency. The fact is the councils track record on efficiency is shockingly bad.

 

Money for insulating peoples homes is a good idea, however, don’t forget there are already grants to be had for this, also the majority of homes here are already insulated to a high standard, we are already miles ahead in this area than the rest of the UK. Money available on top of existing grants for anyone who wants a domestic turbine system would also be a very good idea, and for the people who cannot have domestic turbines, eg people who can prove they have no room/land for a turbine, can be given a yearly discount on their electricity, this would encourage people who have adequate land/room to produce there own energy and in turn make more energy available for Viking energy to export, surely a good idea and inline with what this project stands for?!!. Money should also be allocated for reducing the cost of carriage on goods to and from Shetland, this is one area which would really help our economy and business. As it stands many small business are not viable due to high carriage costs, it makes the cost of living here more unbearable. I also agree an upgrade of our communications networks would be a good idea. Money could also be allocated for the start up of small business. These are ways in which we can all benefit. Letting the council decide where the money goes will give more benefits to less, and it will encourage allot more inefficiencies and waste.

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.......... UK. Money available on top of existing grants for anyone who wants a domestic turbine system would also be a very good idea, and for the people who cannot have domestic turbines, eg people who can prove they have no room/land for a turbine, .........etc

 

I agree with your suspicion of the prospect of funding the council through this Styumpie, but, some issues;

 

"Micro-renewables." There are, currently available, small wind turbines which can be fitted to the ridge of a house, constructed small enough that, if i recall correctly, they do not require planning permission, and can be fitted to any almost property in a similar fashion to satellite dishes.

Perhaps the revenue could be partly aimed toward every home having some form of generator.

 

"Cost of living" issues. Theoretically this is why we are a part of the UK, to ensure that the government will subsidise our transport and other costs to assimilate us with the rest of the UK. *cough*

 

"Small businesses." Start-up funding is already available in various forms from various sources, as it should be.

 

Sorry to nitpick.

 

I would hope some of any revenue generated would be bound to the development and implementation of tidal energy generation, the largest untapped resource available.

 

I am a little concerned to see how they have launched the 'renewables era'. It has an air of marketing and public 'rail-roading' about it. :?

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Guest Anonymous

At first , before I had really thoght about it , I thought the mega windfarm for shetland was a great idea.

But after chatting about it with friends and I realise the whole plan is complete nonesense.

Why build the generator for scotland as far away from the end user as possible?

1.) It will cost more to equip scotland with renewable energy this way

500 million to build the interconnector cable alone!

2.) Nobody mentions the cost to the enviroment as regards the carbon emissions released during the surveying, laying and of course the cable will have to be trenched into the seabed or rock dumped to protect .

(probably thousands of tons)

3.) this project simply delays the people of scotland from gettin online to wind energy by probably several years.

4.) A mega farm like this will be more innefficient here due to the amount of extreme wind we have , they only operate effectivly between 15 &35 knots , meaning they will lose far more generating days up here.

 

Wind farms should be kept down to 10 - 20 mills at any one location and sited near to the community they provide for , over time they can be networked into a grid , shetlan should remain seperate from scotland due to the massive cost and harm to the enviroment connection would cost.

I am all for wind power but this current plan is completly wrong

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Windmills is more efficient da bigger dey ir - something ta do wi pooer density goin up bi da square oda swept area. see internet.

 

I actually think da Viking Energy scheme is a bit on da peerie side, if onything.

 

Carbon and ecological footprint o wind fairm will be fairly minimal, becis der no dat much materials ida generators and bases, an aa da rest oda infrastructure should be durable.

 

Durable items has least environmental impact - fur da basic principle involved see http://www.york.ac.uk/inst/sei/ecofootprint/york%20technical%20report.PDF

e.g Watter supply = 0.1% o total ecological footprint (as infrastructure lasts 100yrs plus an doesna need much maintenance), whereas Food = 32% o total ecological footprint. Same principle will apply tae da interconnector cable - wance he's doon, he's doon.

 

Onywey, da generators could be used ta mak Hydrogen in future.

 

Derick

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Why build the generator for scotland as far away from the end user as possible?

Because this is where the wind and suitable landscape is?

 

But yes, I agree that small-scale, localised production of renewable energy is a much more logical approach to the nation's rural energy requirements.

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Guest Anonymous

to lay a sub sea cable will require the burning of thousands of tons of fossil fuels , this lengthy procedure is therefor enviromentally unsound, scotland should have its wind mills in scotland , there is plenty of potential sites and there is also plenty of wind, in fact it,s the same wind that blows all the way up here, shetland should be looking at developing its own wind powered grid with each district/island erececting 2-3 mills ,perhaps one more than required to allow for a maintenance program to be implemented where one is shutdown at all times for repairs etc.

Then the 500 million that would be wasted on this subsea cable nonsense could be used to provide each district /island with back up engine generators that are designed to run on vegetable oil or some other sort of bio fuel from which the emmisions are far more easily absorbed by plantlife etc.

And im pretty sure even after all that there would still be a good bit of the 500 million left to kick start other projects of this nature such as tidal and solar power etc

This would also create more localised employment , especially in some of the islands.

And yes once it is up and running every body should recieve much cheaper electricity , there has to be a reward for the people for making the effort.

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And yes once it is up and running every body should recieve much cheaper electricity , there has to be a reward for the people for making the effort.

 

Problem with making electricity cheaper is that people will simply use more; the motivation to swtich lights off, turn heaters down a wee bit, etc is removed. Power consumption goes up and we're short of energy. Which, of course, then means we need to build more windmills and generators to meet the increased demand.

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I think the point that most people are missing is that this again is another project that is being rumbled through as quick as possible.

 

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.

 

So whats that all about? Has the media made an error, or has someone jumped on that as conclusive proof that "everyone" wants this project to go ahead!

 

Drew Ratter the Viking Energy board chairman is quoted as saying

"[...] We were anxious to find out more about the public attitude to the wind farm at this early stage. The poll results suggest that most people in Shetland support the proposal and that is reassuring for those of us involved in the project.

 

"The fact that such a high percentage of supporters are moved as much by the future of humanity on the planet, with the spectre of global warming looming over us, as by self interest is really quite inspiring."

 

What a pile of emotive whitewash waffle and crap!

 

So thats a high ranking councillor and his pet project who is also the chairman of the board of the company stating that "most people in Shetland" are in favour. Eh?

 

So approximately 375 people respond, yes, to a survey set up by your own company and you then claim that this is majority of Shetlands population! If I were a scientist reporting to a journal with that as back up evidence I would be laughed out of my profession by my peers!!

 

Theres further statements that

"A recent MORI poll had shown that only six per cent of the island's population was vehemently against the plan."
SO this 6% is that of the entire island inhabitants or is that of the 502 people contacted! ?! The poll sample only methinks!

 

The whitewash enviromental rose tinted glasses speeches with this fiddling of numbers doesn't inspire me the greatest of confidence!

 

[edit]

I'm on the fence re: this project. I just wonder if the whole thing can be moved ahead ever so much more transparently?! That alone would instill me with a bit more confidence.

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Guest Anonymous

yes thats a very good point fjool, i agree with you there, another thing that annoys me is the current waste of electric at present,

the other day i noticed the massive flood lights on shetland catch pier on in broad daylight! I also get annoyed with the massive quantity of street lighting both in town and rural that burns away all bloody night! cars do have lights and people can carry torches,

A prime example of waste I have noted is the various inter island terminal links ,

to use one example of many the fetlar terminal is lit up like the fourth of july all night even though nobody goes there until the next morning, im no getting at the fetlar folk here as this problem is happening all over shetland.

could such areas no have sensors fitted so the light come on when somebody approaches , or even a switch on the approach road ,

probably it is to crazy to suggest this , what with this f**ked up safety culture we live in these days.

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Guest Anonymous

yes markj , pollitically we are part of scotland at the moment , but shetland is an island seperated by over 100 miles of ocean from the scottish mainland, thats what im sayin, do you have anything real to say in this debate or are you just a nit picker?

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droilker wrote: 'scotland should have its wind mills in scotland'

 

Is Shetland not part of Scotland?

 

For the purpose of this debate Shetland is not part of Scotland is as much as we have a separate electricity grid and generating capacity. My main fear if this plan goes ahead is that we will be reliant on the interconnector to supply power on calm days after someone decides that the Gremista power station is redundant. Nothing wrong with that until the interconnector breaks and we can all enjoy a really long power cut.

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I can't see how the income from the super wind farm will be of benefit to the average person, unless we all directly get a share of the said income.

 

We were promised that we would not have to pay rates/council tax based on the deal struck by the SIC for the use of Sullom Voe. That of course never materialised and I would suggest that we'd better not get up our hopes of any windy money.

 

If Shetland could be self sufficient on power then that would be a positive benefit to the environment. We have had windmills for a number of years now, does anyone have figures to prove their efficiency?

How reliable have they been?

How often have they failed to produce viable power due to too much wind or too little?

I tend to agree with droilker as I have heard others say that the power produced may not offset the damage caused to the environment by the construction??

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