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25 December 03
PROGRESS REPORT ON COMMUNITY BENEFIT FROM RENEWABLE ENERGY
DEVELOPMENT IN THE HIGHLANDS
22 December 03
CASE ANNOUNCES SALE
OF
SUTHERLAND WOOLLEN MILL BUILDING
 Highlands
and Islands Enterprise (HIE) has announced today that the former
Sutherland Woollen Mill in Brora has been sold to local
engineering firm, Edward Mackay Limited (EML) who are rapidly
expanding their capability in the wind farm sector. The
property was sold to EML for £610,000. The price achieved is in
excess of HIE's current valuation of the building...............
19
December 03
Wind farms
propel Scotland to leading role in green resources
WITH an ambitious
target to supply 40 per cent of the country's energy needs from
renewable sources by 2020, there can be little doubt that Scotland
intends to lead the UK's renewable energy revolution.
1 December 03
At Scottish Parliament -
Written Questions by MSP Mary Scanlon
6
November 03
FINDINGS OF STUDY POINT TO VIABILITY
OF
WIND POWER PROJECTS
The initial findings of an independent
study into the economics of renewable energy confirms the viability
and profitability of developments in the Highlands and Islands and
the scope for communities to negotiate up to £5,000 per megawatt of
electricity production per year for the community benefit. IPA
Energy Consulting of Edinburgh were commissioned by The Highland
Council and Comhairle Nan Eilean Siar (Western Isles Council) to
evaluate hydro, wind and wave power schemes and have produced a
preliminary draft report, the highlights of which were presented to
The Highland Council’s Sustainable Development Select Committee in
Inverness.
3
November 03
Interactive Forum on Wind Farms At Scottish Parliament
On Thursday 6th November, Parliament
will debate the issue of Wind Farms in Scotland. The motion will be
introduced by Mid Scotland and Fife MSP Murdo Fraser. Along with his
co-signatories, Murdo Fraser is concerned about existing planning
regulations, and their ability to respond to local concerns about
the environmental impact of wind farms.
Launched in conjunction
with this Thursday's parliamentary debate on the subject, the forum
is now open awaiting your views!. If you want to leave views
locally go to our
Caithness Message Board With Caithness already at the
foorefront of Wind Farm applications in Highland you might want to
get your views over to MSP's
19 September 03
Highland Council Refuses
Planning Permission For Wind Farm At Borrowston
Planning permission to build 10 wind turbines at Borrowston
(between Forss and Dounreay) was refused at a meeting in Thurso town hall.
The councillors who were members of the Planning, Development,
Europe and Tourism Committee came from various parts of the
highlands by bus from Inverness and went on a site visit.
14 September 03
Causeymire Wind Farm - Work Starts
National Wind Power (NWP)1 is pleased to announce that construction
has begun on the Causeymire Wind Farm at Dale Moss near Spittal,
Caithness. The first phase of the project will comprise 21 out
of the 24 consented wind turbines2 each rated at 2.3 megawatts (MW),
and will have a combined capacity of 48.3 MW. Once complete, it will
generate enough clean electricity to meet the average annual needs
of some 25,000 homes.
27 August 03
Public Attitudes to Windfarms: A Survey of Local Residents in
Scotland
The survey finds that most people living near wind farms are not
concerned by them.
Views Of
Scotland
Web site of a group looking at how other forms of alternative energy
might be better than wind farms. The web site is
basically on the anti side of the arguments and marchalls the
information from a variety of sources such as tourism and the
environment to back their views. These appear to be different
to environmental groups like Green Peace and Friends of the Earth.
8 August 03
Greens New Web Site Urges The Highlands
To Say
Yes To Wind
Highlands Asked To Log On As Campaigners Fight For Clean Energy.
Green groups have launched a website that calls on people to
join the campaign to increase the amount of energy supplied by wind
power in the UK. the groups are so concerned by misinformation
about wind power which is circulating on the internet that they have
joined forces to launch
www.yes2wind.com.
Environmentalists say the technology can boost jobs and tourism
while fighting climate change - the world's biggest environmental
problem.
5 August 03
Windfarms In Highland As At 31 July 2003
25 sites including two wind farms already built one of which
is at Forss. 11 sites out of 25 others at various stages are
in Caithness.
17
July 03
Wind Farm For Loch Buidhe, Sutherland
Dornoch
Community Council heard the plans for a wind farm at Loch Buidhe on
the Strathcarnoch road which goes from the Mound to Bonar Bridge.
The plans are from the
Renewable Energy
Systems company with offices in Glasgow but with arms in various
parts of the world. The power company plans include the
erection of 33 wind turbines measuring 91 metres in height,
including the blade, on a ridge above the south side of Loch Buidhe.
7 July 03
Take A Look At The Forss Windmills From The Air
 The
aerial views lets you see the scale of the windmills standing next
to the former American base which is being transformed into a new
business park
28
May 03
Wind
Turbine Development - Bridge of Westfield - Public Meeting
Lieurary Hall - Saturday 31 May 1.00pm
Scotrenewables the Stromness based wind turbine company are
to hold a public meeting as part of the environmental Impact
Assessment. A presentation will outline the plans to build
three 2.75MW wind turbines on Hill of Lieurary followed by a
discussion.
Earlier
On Scotrenewables plans
Map To Find Lieurary
1 April 03
Concordat Sought From Renewable
Energy Developers
Highland Councillors have agreed to ask prospective developers of
wind, wave or hydro power in their area to sign a concordat to
demonstrate their willingness to work in harmony with the local
community. Councillors believe the current level of benefit offered
to communities from operators of renewable energy developments is
inadequate and they are eager to campaign to establish procedures so
that a greater share of the profits from the business should be
secured for the local community........
25 March 03
Multi-million Pound
Research Centre In Orkney
Ministers have adopted a 40 per cent target for Scotland's
energy requirements to be generated from a mix of renewable sources
by 2020, it was confirmed today. Consultation on the 40
per cent level began last August and today Environment and Rural
Development Minister Ross Finnie said that the potential to achieve
a diverse mix of renewable technologies had persuaded Ministers to
accept the target. Highlighting the need to promote a range of
renewables, Mr Finnie also announced a £2 million investment in a
new Marine Energy Research Centre in Orkney and the creation of a
group to address possible barriers that might stand in the way of
achieving the target.
20 March 03
Planning Committee Gives Go Ahead
Scot Renewables based in Stromness were granted planning
permission this week for a 40 foot anemometer mast at Bridge of
Westfield. Another application from Scottish and Southern
Energy for two anemometer masts one 50 metres and another 10 metres
high at Broubster Hill, Scotscalder. One mast will be 800
metres north of Loch Calium Flows and the other east of the
Achvarasdal Burn.
14 March 03
Borrowston Proposal Hits The Message Board
Opinion on both sides. Put your comments in or
read what others are saying.
6 March 03
Orkney
Company Plans Community Benefit for Wind Profits At Westfield
 An Orkney-based renewable energy company is looking to the other
side of the Pentland Firth to build a three-generator wind farm.
Scotrenewables Ltd is planning to erect the turbines near Westfield
in Caithness. The Stromness company says it has a different
outlook to big multi-national wind power
businesses..................
4 March 03
2003 Energy White Paper
The White Paper puts forward plans to avoid
over-dependence on imported energy by developing renewable energy
sources within the UK.
3 March 03
Maximising Community Benefit
Eager to ensure that communities
gain the maximum benefit from the development of windfarms and
hydro-electric schemes, The Highland Council is to develop a
Highland-wide policy on community benefit and at the same time
ensure it continues to influence a national policy on the benefits
for local communities from renewable energy.
2 March 03
Start To Finish
 A
series of pictures from Mike Brunton photographer showing the
building from start to finish.
16 February 03
Second Turbine Building
 Forss
Wind Turbines are going up fast with the second one already under
construction as shown by this picture in from
photographer
John Baikie
14 February 03
Blades Fitted At Forss
 Photo
from John Baikie
www.jgbphotography.co.uk
14 February 03
A Residents View - Unhappy about Windmills
David Craig lives near to the Forss windmill site and
puts his view of what he sees as an imposition as the windmills go
up.
12 February 03
Forss Gets First Windmill
10 February 03
Forss Windmills Arrive by Sea
 The
first arrival of the new windmills for Caithness opens the dawn of a
new era in the county. The age of the wind farm has arrived.
This first shipment is destined for the Forss wind farm owned by
Fivestone Ltd. Photo
www.mikebrunton.co.uk
21 January 2002
Country
Gauardian
Not everyone agrees with wind farms and where they
might be sited. Country Guardian has some interesting aspects
on Wind Farms and related information.
16 December 2002
Vestas-Celtic Wind Technology Refurbishment
Argyll and the Islands
Enterprise (AIE) is committing over half a million pounds to carry
out additional infrastructure works at the Vestas plant at
Machrihanish.
The £665,169 investment will result in the refurbishment of an
existing building and the provision of additional storage areas as
well as other improvements including the strengthening of an
existing piece of road.
Vestas-Celtic Wind Technology Ltd is the Scottish entity of Vestas
Wind Systems, a world leader in wind power generation. The company
moved into the former RAF base, near Campbeltown, in January last
year and now employ over 150 people............
10 December 2002
New Team To
Help Community Energy Projects
9 December
2002
New Wind Farm Section
Caithness and the Highlands and Islands are on the verge of an
explosion of activity in the development of Wind Farms.
Highland already has several application granted and more are in the
pipeline and yet others are know as enquiries have been made
regarding potential sites. The north of Scotland with its
reputation for being one of the windiest places in the UK could
become not just a user of wind power but a major exporter to the
rest of Scotland and the UK. Much depend on the
regulatory framework and the conditions imposed by Scottish, UK and
European governments. But it is quite apparent that there is
already a race on as Europe's installed wind energy capacity has now
reached 20,447MW (Megawatts), 74 per cent of the world total.
The
early developers may gain valuable experience and be in a position
to move on to even larger projects.
What ever the outcome for
individual projects it seems likely that there will be a lot of
activity in Caithness and the north where there are few still days
over the year. This new section will
draw together the relevant announcements and information as it
becomes available.
Companies involved in developing
projects are invited to let us have information for publication in
this section. anyone who wishes to contribute can send items
for inclusion to
bill@caithness.org
But Windmill Power Is Nothing New In Caithness
Flagstone Industry Castlehill
The Windmill and Dam
Before the introduction of a steam engine in 1861 the stone was
quarried in dry weather and cut in wet weather when there was water
to fill the dam. The old wind-mill tower is now a scheduled ancient
monument and a unique feature of the site. Originally the building
had a box on the top of the tower which turned face to the wind.
Four vertical sails were fitted to this box. It was used in the
very early days to pump water draining out of the quarry. the water
was pumped into the dam and was then fed through two sluices to
operate an overshot wheel. This then powered the saws.
Harrow Pavement Works
In 1856 a tramway was installed to transport waste,
known as tirr, away from the workings in horse draw, self-tipping
wagons. A windmill-driven pump was employed to keep the workings
dry. (ref.2) The 14th Earl rejected Gills in favour of
Harrow, where he set about building a pavement works and harbour. |