Tension between wind turbines, tourism and nature on Western Isles
Welcome to my blog, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!
The plan to site a massive wind farm with 181 turbines on the island of Lewis have been approved by the Western Isles Council. It would be one of the largest wind farms in the world, creating up to 200 jobs and boosting the local ecomony. However Natural Heritage say that tonnes of peat would have to be dug up to allow erection of the turbines. The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds oppose the current plans. The RSPB is not against all wind turbines they appreciate the need for alternative energy production, they want wind farn to have the mimumum impace on the natural habitat of the birds. A survey of visitors showed that a large wind farm would discourage 50% of tourists from coming to Lewis. A high proportion of residents living near the site are also opposed to the scheme. They fear noise from the turbines and will loss of the unique feeling of wilderness and tranquility of Lewis.
I don’t know how you carry out a cost benefit analysis here? Would a drop in tourism nullify the economic development of the wind farm? Can you put a price on an unspoilt natural enviromnemt? Will that natural environment be destroyed in any case if we do not turn to less polluting energy production?
I have visited the Western Isles on several occasions. Personally a large wind farm would not put me off visting. I would think it a good idea to harness the wind, a natural resource in abundance, to generate electricity and to provide more local employment.
February 21st, 2007 at 10:47 pm
Perhaps the plan to build the world’s largest wave energy farm off Orkney will be less controversial as it will be more out of sight.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/6377423.stm
March 6th, 2007 at 11:40 am
[...] When I read this article stating that undersea cables are the most viable economic and environmental method of carrying electricity produced from renewable sources in the Western Isles to areas with a higher population, I wondered why the erection of giant pylons had been the initial proposal. The electricity generated by the giant wind farm in the Western Isles was to be brought onshore at Ullapool, then underground cable to Beauly near Inverness and the overground by giant pylon to central Scotland. I assume the undersea option would be a cable down the west coast of Scotland. Perhaps it is cheaper to erect pylons and then easier to repair and maintain them? [...]