New wind farm plan for Kelty
Published 9 Jul 2012 09:02
7 Comments
A HAMILTON-based developer is gearing up to provide West Fife with a surge of green energy with proposals for a new wind farm near the village of Kelty.
Banks Renewables is in the early stages of designing a wind farm development comprising up to five turbines in the Hilton Farm area, to the east of Kelty and the north of Cowdenbeath.
Should plans go ahead the wind farm could generate up to 10MW of energy, powering more than 5500 homes in Fife, which the firm say could displace up to 11,300 tonnes of CO2 emissions into the atmosphere that would otherwise be released if this electricity was produced from fossil fuel power generation.
Colin Anderson, director at Banks Renewables (right), said, "We've identified Hilton Farm as having excellent potential for a wind farm due to the good wind resource, grid connectability and potential for the landscape to accommodate a sensitively designed development.
"Our assessment is, however, at a very early stage. All our projects are heavily influenced by local opinion and therefore the vital first step in the design process is getting positive dialogue going with local people and community groups.
"This ensures that their views are taken into account from the very beginning.
"We have already had initial discussions with the community councils and will be seeking their advice on how best to get local people's views on the proposals going forward.
"We do, however, actively encourage local residents and local businesses to come directly to us with their comments and suggestions at any time.
"In addition, we expect to be holding a series of public exhibitions in the coming months to provide further opportunities for people to discuss the proposal with us."
He added, "We will be carrying out a range of detailed environmental assessments including ecological and ornithological surveys over coming months and feedback from these will be passed to the communities and will shape the design process.
"It is exciting that we've already had some really interesting ideas put to us about how the proposals could help deliver local environmental improvements and support existing initiatives.
"The lack of employment and training opportunities has also been highlighted as a key issue locally and as a result we are already considering how we could support dedicated educational and training schemes for local people.
"Hopefully, we can build on all of these ideas and come up with a really exceptional proposal to take forward into planning and that in time will deliver long-lasting benefits for this area of Fife."
As part of the planning process, an application has been submitted to Fife Council to erect an 80-metres test mast on the site.
Have your say. Post a comment on this article.
-
Toggsaway
3 posts
Jul 9, 13:38
Report commentWhenever you announce a new windfarm development, you talk about the thousands of homes that it will power. This isn't true and it's very misleading. There will be days in the Winter and times in the evenings, when we need the power, but because the wind isn't blowing this windfarm won't be powering a single home. Let's be truthful and say how many homes this windfarm will power all day every day - ZERO. What a waste of money.
Recommend?
Yes 31
No 4
-
talksomesense
4 posts
Jul 9, 13:58
Report commentAnother developer offers another community another bribe to not object to their plans for another windfarm. We all pay subsidies for wind energy through our electricity bills, this is why so many people are in fuel poverty, then developers come along and generously offer to give us some of our money back, maybe create a few temporary jobs. Then they leave us with a blighted landscape, noise, ruined recreational areas and expect us to jump for joy because they have given us 1-2% of their vast profits which we have paid for in the first place. Banks Renewables asked for the opinion of the local community at some Community Council meetings, the communities told them they didn't want another wind farm but they are still submitting a planning application. Don't be fooled into thinking they'll listen or care, they'll do it because it makes them so much money, no other reason. Banks Renewables if you are listening GO AWAY AND LEAVE THIS AREA ALONE, ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.
Recommend? Yes 33
No 5
-
GoWest
50 posts
Jul 9, 15:57
Report commentOn Government subsidies to energy generation, this news article gives some very good insight. http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/damian-carrington-blog/2012/mar/30/nuclear-energy-gas-climate
Recommend? Yes 7
No 5
-
GREEN HIGHLANDER
7 posts
Jul 9, 16:01
Report commentMan People can still remember the ugly industrial blight on the landscape caused by the spoil heaps of Benerty, Mary, Glencraig, Lumphinnans, Aitken, Nellie and Lindsay pits, that once surrounded the area that is now Loch Ore Meadows Country Park. Why would anyone in their right mind want to replace a once industrial blight on the landscape with a new one? I say to Banks Renewables take your offer of bribes and your turbines and stick them where the wind doesn’t blow. The people of Fife love and enjoy their beautiful country park and the area surrounding it, and they cannot be bought for thirty pieces of silver.
Recommend? Yes 27
No 4
-
MeSammy
1 post
Jul 12, 10:46
Report commentWindfarms are becoming widely recognised as symbols of exploitation of the poor by the rich. The more they spin, the poorer most of us get through the subsidies we pay the landowners and the windmill owners one way or another. That we also have to endure the destruction of gentle landscapes and pleasant views is a further penalty, but these windmills are also political symbols of the domination of politics by green fanaticism. A fanaticism most recently fueled by the absurd panic over CO2. Thankfully this is also becoming widely recognised as shoddy science combined with slick manipulation. Mother Nature herself is paying not the slightest heed to the CO2, and is behaving just if it doesn't really matter very much. Which is exactly what distinguished atmospheric scientists like Lindzen have said it would do all along.
Recommend? Yes 10
No 0
-
HughJeego
46 posts
Jul 12, 17:26
Report commentCan Donald Trump see them from his vanity golf course outside Aberdeen?
Recommend? Yes 0
No 2
-
maclam
317 posts
Jul 12, 23:13
Report commentmoney ! money! money! in a rich mans world.
Recommend? Yes 6
No 0
Return to the main index, get more from this section or browse our News archives.
