Locals urged to examine Clatto Hill wind turbines deal 'with vigour'
People near Clatto Hill have been urged to carefully consider the cash being offered to them by a wind farm developer.
The site for the proposed Clatto Hill wind turbines.
- By Cheryl Peebles
- Published in the Courier : 14.07.10
- Published online : 14.07.10 @ 12.02pm
East Fife Wind Energy is one of two applicants proposing to erect turbines on the hill between Kingskettle and Kennoway.
It wants to install seven turbines measuring up to 121 metres (393ft) at Devon Wood.
On offer would be a community benefit fund worth £1.3 million over 25 years. A community wind turbine and discounted energy for locals would also be considered.
However, a Fife UKIP councillor who has repeatedly spoken out on the efficiency claims of wind energy said the community could make more money if it put up just one turbine itself.
Councillor Mike Scott-Hayward, who represents East Neuk and Landward, said, "The company quotes that the local community would benefit from a package of £52,500 per annum for 25 years. I think the community should examine that claim with vigour.
"There are other communities that have been told if they acquire a single turbine for themselves they could aspire to an annual income of £80,000 to £100,000 for 25 years."
He added, "Communities should be careful they are not having their amenity taken away for a mere pittance of the amount of money they could have with fewer turbines themselves."
Under an energy cashback scheme introduced this year to encourage renewable energy generation, communities and householders who erect their own wind turbines can benefit financially.
Energy suppliers are obliged to pay money — otherwise known as the feed-in tariff — to those who produce their own power.
Mr Scott-Hayward is a member of Fife Council's north-east Fife area committee, which determines planning applications in the area.
He said the availability of the feed-in tariff is the only difference between the wind turbines being proposed now and those that ScottishPower wanted to put on the hill a few years ago.
ScottishPower's plans provoked a groundswell of opposition but, after being rejected by the council, the firm dropped them during the appeal process ahead of a public inquiry.
Mr Scott-Hayward said, "I cannot see that very much will have changed in the meantime, apart from the fact that the feed-in tariff bribe is now available.
"They (East Fife Wind Energy's agent West Coast Energy) have indicated there is an appetite for renewable energy generation in Fife and I strongly maintain that this appetite is fuelled by greed for the feed-in tariff."
A further three 100m turbines are being proposed by Douglas Rennie at Clatto Farm, with the agent Green Cat Renewables.
06.03pm - 14.07.2010 Ross - Freuchie, Scotland Report This
Sigh. Again the closed-minded NIMBYs and people preoccupied with their property prices come out of the woodwork to spoil it for the rest of us.<br />Would they rather have a Nuclear or Coal Power Station up on Clatto Hill instead?
10.09pm - 15.07.2010 savefife - Cupar, UK Report This
Wind turbines are inefficient working at less than 30% capacity and are best placed at sea or at least near cities to stop loss of the pathetic amount of energy they produce. This is all about making £ and nothing at all about green energy. They are monstrous...fight them before we are overrun!
12.02am - 19.07.2010 savefife - Cupar, UK Report This
Worse still a report in todays Scotland on Sunday states that many wind farms have been operating at only 17% capacity...and at several points have been becalmed. These installations are a subsidised waste of space. Save the landscape and ditch the turbines!
10.03am - 20.07.2010 Mike Haseler - Lenzie, Scotland Report This
With the world not having warmed this century as shown by the clear doubts expressed by the "scientists" in the climategate emails, we really need to ask ourselves whether there is any need for these monstrous bird mincers.<br /> These things litter the countryside - better one owned by the community!
11.39am - 10.08.2010 mrs mop - methil, scotland Report This
i think this is the only way to go for energy , i want one in my garden ,they can decorate them and put fairy lights on .they just look so cool i love looking at the one we have in methil, i would have one if i could afford it
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