Lewis Windfarm Proposal Rejected
SNP Green Energy Policy Suffers Blow As Wind Power Scheme Fails
Proposals to build the largest on-shore windfarm in Europe were rejected yesterday, dealing a blow to a government committed to meeting half of electricity needs by 2050.
The Nationalist Government's plans for steering Scotland towards cleaner and greener power generation received a blow yesterday (Monday 21st April), as plans to build Europe's largest on-shore wind farm were rejected.
Green Opportunities For Lewis
The project, put forward by Amec and British Power was to be sited near Stornoway, on Lewis, an island of the Hebrides off the northwest coast of Scotland. 181 wind turbines, providing 650MW of electricity, roughly 10% of Scotland's needs (Guardian, April 22nd '08) would have brought an estimated £600million (around US$1200million) to the local economy and provided for hundreds of permanent local jobs, jobs that are much needed on Lewis as more and more younger people seek livelihoods on the mainland.
Public Opposition
Public opposition in the face of such a seemingly good opportunity to rejuvenate the local economy has been as vehement as it has been one sided, with 10,924 objections being registered compared with a mere 94 letters of support for the scheme ("The Stornoway Gazette", 21st April '08), with almost all objections being on environmental grounds.
The peat lands of Lewis are home to an abundance of wildlife, most importantly rare bird species such as the golden eagle, red-throated diver and merlin, which would face problems with the construction of 100m+ turbines in their habitats. Local crofters had also voiced concerns that land used for crops and grazing cattle would be ruined after a large-scale building project.
Reactions From Government
The public uproar which influenced the turn down was welcomed by Western Isles MP Angus MacNeil who said:” such a massive scheme required the obvious consent of the people – the days of things being done to, and for people, without their consent I hope are long gone", while MSP Alasdair Allan said he had: “long made clear my own view that the sheer scale and environmental impact of this project was such that it could not command the support of the communities most affected" ("The Stornoway Gazette, 21st April '08).
A Sustainable Green Policy?
So, where next for the Nationalists? The SNP's plans for renewable energy are wide and far reaching, aiming to meet half of Scotland's electricity needs by 2050, and after the decision (made under European guidelines), the Energy Minister was bullish :"Even allowing for refusals, we are well on the way to meeting our ambitious target to generate fifty percent of Scotland's electricity demand from renewables by 2050" (The Scotsman, 22nd April '08).
Flirting with the Greens in Holyrood may indeed be the reason the Nationalists jumped on the green bandwagon in the first place, but coalition politics should keep them on their toes when it comes to meeting renewable demands in the future; a pressure that Labour and the Tories seem completely incapable of exerting at the minute.
The wind farm application process has frustrated both Government and energy firms recently, with many proposed sites currently held up due to laborious public consultations and council inaction. Many would argue that here lies the main problem facing renewable energy expansion in Scotland, one which will have to be addressed before the Nationalists can seriously meet their renewable energy promises
