Published: Thursday, 8th March, 2007 12:00
West Fife set for its first windfarm
By News Desk
Print Article
Pic by: Dunfermline Press
WEST FIFE’S first windfarm has finally been given the go-ahead with neighbouring communities set to rake in around £600,000 as a result.
An application for West Coast Energy’s £14 million project, to build nine 100-metre high turbines on farmland near the Fife Ethylene Plant at Mossmorran, was first tabled in 2004.
Councillors decided yesterday (Wednesday) to approve the ‘clean’ energy plan, which will generate power for 12,500 homes per year.
The windfarm will be built at Little Raith Farm, which borders Loch Gelly and the A92, and is expected to bring money and jobs into the local economy during the construction phase.
And a cash windfall – which can be spent on anything from a new community centre to anti-social behaviour schemes – will be given annually to neighbouring communities.
Neil Exton, of West Coast Energy, explained, “We’ve got a policy of £1000 per megawatt so it’d probably be around £23,500 every year for the 25-year lifespan of the windfarm that will go into a community windfarm trust.
“It’s a win-win situation.”
The turbines, which will have an output of 2-3 megawatts each, will be seen from up to 20 miles away and construction work will take six months.
Despite a worldwide shortage of blades for the turbines, Mr Exton said he was still confident the windfarm would be up and running by next year.
Mr Exton said, “This is a ‘green’ form of producing energy which is much better for the planet.
“Public opinion seems to be very much in favour of wind-developed energy and it’s only when it’s close to their house or village they’re not quite as supportive – but even that attitude is changing.”
The turbines will take up around nine acres of the 780 acre farm and will be connected by underground cables to a new substation on the site.
Local companies will be able to bid for construction contracts worth around £2 million and there will be up to 30 workers on site at any one time during construction.
Dairy and sheep farmer Colin Telfer, a tenant at Little Raith for almost 20 years, said, “It’s a good windy site and I’ve no problem with it.
“It doesn’t affect me financially as I’m a tenant farmer but it’ll be good for the local economy.
“It’ll be a big construction job which will employ a lot of people.
“I’m quite a ‘green’ farmer and we like to look after the countryside so I wouldn’t be in favour of it if I thought it would do any harm.”
He continued, “If global warming is an issue, and as a farmer I think it is affecting the climate, then at least no-one can point the finger at us and say we’re not doing our bit for the planet.
“It should provide enough power for the local area and that will be great.”
The delay was partly due to the pink-footed goose as there were fears that flocks of the birds – up to 15,000 spend the winter at Loch Leven – would fly into the turbines.
Extensive studies suggested it wouldn’t be a problem and West Coast Energy’s report also said livestock would be unaffected, there were no protected habitats within the survey area and TV and mobile phone reception wouldn’t be adversely affected.
Mr Exton said, “It’s been a long haul, we’re glad it’s going ahead and, at the end of the day, we think we’ve got a good site.
“Hopefully, we’ll be able to start generating electricity in early to mid-2008.”
Del.icio.us
Digg
Facebook
Reddit
Stumbleupon
'Too sexy' shop finally opens in Dunfermline