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Caithness Windfarm Information Forum - CWIF -

From a supporter after the Stroupster windfarm decision in 2010:

I feel like another bit of us/Caithness has died. It's utterly incredible that this is progressing so far
and now so fast. Folks are going to wake up one day and say "who let this happen?" Payday loans company Wage Day Advance can offer loans if you need help to pay your heating bills. They pay out cash hourly and accept people with bad credit.

CWIF can certainly stand proud and say
"we did our best and fought with everything we had and could think of".

 

Flow country Photo: Ben MacGregor

 

CWIF is a member of the

World Council for Nature and European Platform Against Windfarms

 


HEADLINES

 

Survey - Visual Impact of Wind Farms in Britain

 

UK's Subsidised Wind Power Obsession Leaves 3,000,000 Households Suffering Energy Poverty

 

 

 


(hover over items to see summary, click to see full link)

 

Friends against wind

Stop These Things

Windfarm Action

Winds of Justice

 

Facebook group:

Wind Energy's Absurd

 


EVENTS

 

PLEASE NOTE

All meetings of Highland Council are webcast live

and available later in the archive

 

DPEA are now webcasting some Public Local Inquiries

 


North Planning Applications Committee

Tuesday 8th October at 10:30

Item 5.2 - Strathrory Windfarm - 11 wind turbines with a blade to tip height of up to 180 metres and a generating capacity of up to 62 Megawatts (MW) | Land At Torr Leathann Strathrory Ardross Alness (Ross & Cromarty)

 

 

South Planning Applications Committee

Tuesday 29th October at 10:30

No relevant items

 

 

Slickly windfarm Public Consultation

Tuesday 19th November 2019, 10am to 2pm Lyth Village Hall, Lyth, KW1 4UD

Tuesday 19th November 2019, 3pm to 7pm Auckengill Village Hall, St Clare Hall, Auckengill, KW1 4XP

 

 

Limekiln windfarm

Further Consultation - up to 7 additional turbines proposed - see leaflet

Reay Village Hall: Wednesday 20th Nov 3-7pm and Thursday 21st Nov 2-7pm

 


CAITHNESS/SUTHERLAND NEWS

 


BBC quote "the Caithness countryside is transforming into a powerhouse of renewable energy"
Forget people, wild life, countryside - we're just a "powerhouse".

When 'green' means ruining our landscape

 

See also Wind Developments

 

Caithness

Bad Fearn Wind Farm, Dunbeath - up to 10 turbines up to 200m to tip now in Scoping
Replacing this from 2005 which was refused

Borrowston windfarm - 5 turbines 91m. to tip
Borrowston replacing this from 2002

Cairnmore Hill - 8 turbines 138.5m. to tip
Developer's website

Camster II windfarm
11 turbines 126.5m to tip (amended)

Cogle Moss windfarm
application in scoping to amend consented windfarm from 12 turbines 100m. to tip to 14 turbines 115m. to tip

Golticlay windfarm
Awaiting Minister's decision - 19 turbines 130m. to tip

Loch Toftingall Wind Farm - up to 6 turbines 138.56m. to tip

Slickly windfarm
11 turbines 135m to tip
- Update now applying for 149.9m. to tip

Stemster windfarm
11 turbines up to 200m to tip in scoping
adjacent to, and immediately west of, Golticlay windfarm

Tormsdale windfarm
16 turbines 149.9m. to tip - in scoping

 

Sutherland

Ackron windfarm (near Melvich)
14 turbines 149.9m to tip

Braelangwell Windfarm (Ardgay)
20 turbines 180m to tip

Garvary windfarm
in scoping 45 turbines 180m. to tip

Glencassley Wind Farm
26 turbines over 150m. to tip

Gordonbush Ext. amendment
Reduction in number of turbines - 15 to 11 - but increased height - 132 to 149.9m to tip

Lairg Windfarm
New application in scoping for 13 turbines 180m. to tip near the existing 3 turbine 99.5m windfarm

Update on Strathy area
Strathy North - 33 turbines, 110m. to tip constructed
Strathy Wood - 18 turbines, 145m. to tip consented
Strathy South - 39 turbines, proposed increase to 200m. to tip - scoping

 

Offshore

Moray West Offshore Windfarm - now approved
85 turbines, 285m. to tip
With Beatrice and Moray East (MacColl, Telford and Stevenson) this makes a total of 355 turbines in the Moray Firth
View from Lybster

Proposed new floating windfarm off north coast Caithness - Katanes
see also New Floating Platform Harvests Wind and Wave Energy

 

 

 

 

 

News Archive back to 2016

 


SCOTLAND NEWS

 

Scottish Govt. list of decisions

Planning: post-bill work programme

 

 

 


COMMENT

 

A parable from Stuart Young

You engage a milkman to deliver 2 pints a day.
He delivers 2 on Sunday,
none on Monday,
1 on Tuesday,
3 on Wednesday,
1 on Thursday,
3 on Friday,
and 4 on Saturday.
Job done, you have had your weekly ration of 14 pints. An average of 2 pints a day. You would sack your milkman after week one. You wouldn't pay him extra for being unreliable, and you wouldn't pay for the surplus milk on the days there is too much and you wouldn't pay him more to take the surplus away when you can't use it either. But that is exactly what we do when we rely on wind generated electricity.

 

In environmental justice, the wind still rides roughshod over the rules

"There is a feeling that wind seems to be exempt from the normal rules. If I were to erect a structure 140 metres high, doubling the height above sea level of the hills alongside the valley of the Stinchar in Ayrshire, for example, there would rightly be an outcry. If I were to kill hundreds of birds of prey every year, there would be outrage. If I were to kill thousands of bats, I would go to jail. How can it be that the wind industry uniquely is allowed to ride roughshod over the environmental rules that protect the rest of us from anyone spoiling the view, killing eagles and pouring concrete into peatland?"

 

by Boris Johnson

"It is a good 20 years since I last drove all the way to Scotland, and in the interim something unbelievable has been done - in our name - to our green, pleasant and precious countryside," he said.

"I mean the windmills, the turbines - whatever they are called. I mean the things that look like some hideous Venusian invasion, marching over the moors and destroying the dales; the colossal seaside toys plonked erratically across our ancient landscape; the endless parade of waving white-armed old lunatics, gesticulating feebly at each other across the fields and the glens.

"They seemed to be everywhere, and I asked myself, when were we consulted? Was there a referendum? Did someone ever warn the British people that these moaning seagull slicers were going to be erected on some of the most sensational scenery that God ever called into being?"

 

From James Lovelock - originator of the Gaia theory

"I am an environmentalist and founder member of the Greens but I bow my head in shame at the thought that our original good intentions should have been so misunderstood.

"We never intended a fundamentalist Green movement that rejected all energy sources other than renewable, nor did we expect the Greens to cast aside our priceless ecological heritage because of their failure to understand that the needs of the Earth are not separable from human needs. We need to take care that the spinning windmills do not become like the statues on Easter Island, monuments of a failed civilization."

 

from "Out and about with Ralph" (Caithness Courier - 25 Jan 12)

The hills have been turned into a man-made industrial estate, covered in gigantic white turning monsters totally destroying any visage of remoteness. Yes, they shout at you, man is master of nature and we mean to show it. Well, any nation which can do this to its landscape loses any right to complain about anything else anyone else does, be it rain-forest removal, strip mining, whaling, deep-sea drilling... this is environmental desecration, destruction and degradation of the worst order.

 

Sir Bernard Ingham

"They are no good when the wind doesn't blow and they are no good when the wind does blow.
What on earth is the point of them? They represent the most ridiculous waste of people's money."

 

 

Do they really expect us to believe them?

"The Scottish Government will only approve the right wind farm applications in the right places, and applications that do not meet strict criteria are rejected. Our planning guidance for local authorities makes clear that developments must be carefully sited to mitigate and minimise impacts on local amenity.?

"The Scottish Government will only allow windfarms to be built where the impacts have been found to be acceptable - and unsuitable applications are rejected."

"While Ministers believe it is right to make the most of the opportunities that are offered by our abundant natural energy resources, this must be done in a way that protects the environment and takes account of the views of local communities."

?While we value the contribution well-sited windfarms can make, the Scottish Government is committed to protecting Scotland?s landscape and natural beauty and agree that windfarms should not be built without careful consideration of their potential impact on the environment before any decision is made on whether they should be given the go-ahead.?

"Every application for wind farm development is assessed against local development plan policy and on its merits, taking into account the views of statutory consultees, interested parties, local communities and the public. Unsuitable applications are rejected."

"Scotland has astounding green energy potential and vast natural resources, with a quarter of Europe's offshore wind potential, and we have a responsibility to ensure our nation seizes this opportunity to create tens of thousands of new jobs and secure billions of pounds of investment in our economy. However, any development will be undertaken in a sustainable and informed manner."

"The Scottish Government wants to see the right developments in the right places, and Scottish planning policy is clear that the design and location of any wind farm should reflect the scale and character of the landscape, as well as being considered environmentally acceptable."

"Scottish planning policy is clear that the design and location of any wind farm should reflect the scale and character of the landscape and should be considered environmentally acceptable."

"The Scottish Government will only approve the right wind farm applications in the right places, and applications that do not meet strict criteria are rejected. Our planning guidance for local authorities makes clear that developments must be carefully sited to mitigate and minimise impacts on local amenity."

"We want to see the right developments in the right places. All applications are subject to careful scrutiny."

"Our planning policy strikes a balance between making the most of Scotland's huge green energy potential and the need to protect the country's most scenic wild spaces, meaning that windfarms are only permitted to go ahead in the right places. Current planning and consents processes are rigorous and ensure appropriate siting of windfarms."

"Our policy on windfarm applications aims to strike the right balance between Scotland's massive green energy potential and the need to protect the country's most scenic and wild areas. Our planning process is rigorous, ensuring appropriate siting of wind farms - that has resulted in a ban on wind farm development in areas covering almost a fifth of the landmass of Scotland including National Parks and National Scenic Areas."

From Nicola Sturgeon: ?The vast majority of planning decisions are already made locally by those who are best placed to consider in what circumstances planning consent should or should not be granted. ?I think that is right and proper. Planning does benefit greatly from being part of a democratic process, and it is informed at all stages by high quality objective professional advice.?

"The Scottish Government has set out a clear policy for a balanced energy mix in Scotland which provides energy security for the future which helps to keep the lights on and bills down across these islands. Wind farms are a key part of this energy mix and our policy on wind farm applications aims to strike the right balance between Scotland's massive green energy potential and the need to protect the country's most scenic and wild areas along with residential amenity. Our planning process is rigorous, ensuring appropriate siting of wind farms - that has resulted in a ban on wind farm development in areas covering almost a fifth of the landmass of Scotland including National Parks and National Scenic Areas."

"Scottish Government policy on onshore wind farms strikes a careful balance between maximising Scotland's huge green energy potential and protecting some of our finest scenic landscapes - planning authorities help to guide wind farms to the best places and when wind farms don't meet strict planning guidelines they are rejected."

"Our policy on onshore windfarms aims to strike a careful balance between utilising Scotland's significant renewable energy resources whilst protecting our finest scenic landscapes and natural heritage. The planning process strongly promotes public engagement which enables community organisations to make representations on development proposals. We remain firmly supportive of onshore and offshore renewable energy technologies, including windfarms, so long as these are developed in appropriate locations."

"We have been clear that wind farms can only be built in the right places, and that proposed developments are subject to strict planning laws. Our policy strikes a careful balance between utilising Scotland's significant renewable energy resources whilst protecting our finest scenic landscapes and natural heritage."

 

 

 

 

Community Benefit (courtesy Graham Lang)

"Where does Community Benefit come from? From the income of the wind farm.
Where does the income of the wind farm come from? From our electricity bills some of which subsidises wind.
Where does the Community Benefit come from? You and me."

 

 

from Think Scotland

Forgotten communities are left high and dry by wind farms
The hunt for Green October
Winds of Change
Debasing democracy the Salmond way
All at Sea: offshore wind farms will leave Scotland feeling blue
Forget school dinners, Pupils are now being fed propaganda
Modern Environmentalism; people would rather believe than know
See also "Climate Change Heretic" David Bellamy at Buckingham Palace
Opposing a wind farm application needs guts and guile
Wind Energy: Chalk It Up as a Loss

 

 

From the walls of the Scottish Parliament building:

The battle for conservation will go on endlessly.
It is part of the universal battle between right and wrong.

John Muir (1838-1914)

What would the world be, once bereft
Of wet and wildness? Let them be left,
O let them be left, wildness and wet;
Long live the weeds and the wilderness yet.

Gerard Manley Hopkins (1844-1889) "Inversnaid"

 




ABOUT US

 

Changes to the CWIF website

Way back in 2008, Brenda took on the task of creating and maintaining a CWIF website with professional IT support from Robin at Rom-Art and they have been doing it ever since. In that time CWIF website has become a world-wide reference point for many linked and featured reports, documents etc with its Windfarm Accident Statistics (compiled and kept up to date by a former CWIF member) being possibly the most complete set of wind farm related accident statistics anywhere in the world outside of those held secretly by wind industry bodies.

Ownership of the website was passed to Brenda on dissolution of CWIF as a membership organisation in 2014 as it was too valuable an asset to lose, and Brenda was happy to keep doing the work. A plan was put in place for oversight of the eventual orderly closure of the website and exit from the public stage.

I am happy to say that that time has not yet arrived but some changes to the website were needed. The workload is high. Some aspects of the website are no longer as relevant as they were, and others have become much more time consuming. Brenda will continue to maintain the website meantime for as long as she wants or until funds run out, but with less content, and less proactive activity. Health Effects will stay as will Accident Statistics. The Maps page has changed to display spreadsheets of all Caithness and Sutherland developments proposed and consented.

No more donations will be sought as there is a balance of funds to maintain the website for some time to come.

No-one should get the impression that Brenda is retiring, She is just redistributing her enormous capacity for work according to present need amongst the several organisations she works her socks off for.

Stuart Young, Former Chair of CWIF

 

 



Buolfruich Windfarm from Scaraben - Photo: Ben MacGregor

Caithness Windfarm Information Forum wants to see responsible Local and National energy policies which combine reliable, controllable and predictable low carbon energy supplies with adequate protection of our fragile environment, countryside and communities.

 

The montage below compares the Test & Trials Facility at Janetstown (27m high), Dunnet Church (12m high), a Strathy North Turbine (110m high), and an existing Forss turbine (78m high).



Photomontage by Stuart Young Visualisations

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