Machrihanish Offshore Windfarm

[Ags]

Living in Machrihanish as we do, we obviously have a good view of the Tangy Turbines. Maybe one of you local emplyees can answer this question which has bothered me for a long time. Out of the 24 turbines at Tangy, why have the 8 from phase 2 never been deemed fit to turn nor been attached to the national grid?? It just makes me wonder why we need more when we have 8 sitting there doing absolutely nothing??

I worked on these 8 turbines about 3 years ago Ags,they were designed and made by a Spanish company called Gamesa (i think) they were erected by an irish company called McNallys,and were never commisioned,because of design faults and health and safety issues,i spent about 3 weeks going through a list as long as your arm replaceing certain parts inside the Nacelle and towers.The Spanish site agents on the job were not interested,and some days they woudnt even turn up.

The latest rumour i heard was that they are to be removed sometime soon,and replaced by Siemens towers and Nacelles

Thanks Abbey I appreciate your reply but as you haven't worked for the company for a few years and there are obviously lots of guys in the know on here.....
any confirmation on what is happening with these 8 towers??

[mrsbagpuss]

WC1 - this was a general question to the forum readers -

Will there be anyone there able to ask some constructive questions with an objective mind on behalf of the young people who might benefit from this?

not directed personally at you - I dont know who WC1 is?! So how can it be?!

[WC1]

WC1 - this was a general question to the forum readers

Really?

WC1 - I really do hope information can be obtained regarding opportunities for youngsters - as a parent I would have liked to discuss such things, (I may do so via email due to my being unable to attend).

[mrsbagpuss]

My original question was a general question to the forum.

Just a queery for anyone involved in schools.

You chose to reply................

Unfortunately I can't make any comment through this forum in my official capacity about any of the issues raised in the pevious post.

In turn I replied to you..............

I really do hope information can be obtained regarding opportunities for youngsters - as a parent I would have liked to discuss such things, (I may do so via email due to my being unable to attend).

not email YOU to discuss - SSE etc...

and then addressed the forum again with the same question.................

Will there be anyone there able to ask some constructive questions with an objective mind on behalf of the young people who might benefit from this?

You clearly think I am aiming this personally at you, however as I already told you I dont know who you are? I am new to this forum. I feel I am wasting my time with futile conversations like this one about the identity of someone which is irrelevent to me. I just asked a question. If you choose to misinterperate my question or response as a personal issue with you thats up to you, I know what my intention was.

[macmach]

Yes, but how much does Kintyre consume? We already have windfarms here in Kintyre that supply enough power for all the houses in Argyll.

Unfortunately macmach probably only about 20-30% of all the power consumed is for residential purposes. I don't know the correct figures but I'd guess that somewhere like Skycon might actually consume more electricity in one day than a fair percentage of the houses in Campbeltown put together. Add to that the power consumed by Creamery, Schools, supermarkets, council offices, farms, computers, etc.

Okay, I should have said "supply power for all the houses and commercial properties in Argyll". I wonder what the comparison of power used in Argyll is to the commerial properties in Glasgow...........?

Therefore what is the matter with the unsightly power station if it produces enough power for 300,000 houses in that area?

Now I don't know the intricacies of the electrical supply grid in Kintyre, but lets assume it comes from Hunterston (there are so many single-digit-post experts appearing I'm sure someone will correct me ) - your point seems to be that it's OK for the people on the North Ayrshire coast to be lumbered with a Nuclear Power station to provide Kintyre's power. However it's not OK for Kintyre to be absorb a wind farm to produce energy for itself or others. Or are we back to the "I'm all for windfarms, as long as it doesn't affect me?" arguement.

Two wrongs don't make a right Sheik. Historical events and mistakes should not be replicated simply because "we" need! What I am suggesting is that every area has a windfarm or other suitable means to supply their power. You and the other supporters of these proposals seem to forget we have enough windfarms in Argyll already and the offshore proposals are for three massive windfarms off Machrihanish, Islay and Tiree.

Why not put it on their doorsteps instead?

..........and that's the issue - it HAS been on many other communities doorsteps for decades, Kintyre has been very lucky to escape up until now.

Again, NO-ONE is saying we shouldn't have it. WE are simply saying that the proposed site is not OFF SHORE - it is IN SHORE and should be located better. Why can't people like you respect the feelings of us locals? Surely you have some feeling towards our concerns?

I'll get back to being a "numpty" now

Glad to see we agree on something at last!!!

[DENIS.THE.TRUE.MANC.]

Having visited the area for 40 years (since my dad showed me on the map where he was based with the Fleet Air Arm ), we feel that wind-turbines are an unsightly blot on the scenery we have come to love.
South Kintyre is an area of outstanding natural beauty which should be protected by constraint orders prohibiting such developments within eyeshot of local communities (unless the residents vote in favour of a particular siting).

On a recent visit we saw part of a turbine pillar/tower washed up and lodged in the black rocks between Dunaverty and Keil - what an eyesore for residents and visitors alike. Then, when we were at the "Duan" , looking across the bay, we thought how the windfarm at Tangy has spoilt that particular vista, and that is a good 5 miles away !

The proposed "off-shore" installation would be only about half that distance from "Oosage" point, so we can imagine the detrimental effect it would have on the coastal outlook there. Stretches of the coastline such as Machrihanish, Tangy, and Southend should be inviolable, as should the hills around Southend where more of these monstrosities are planned.

Good luck with your campaign !

[DRUMLEMEN1]

Why dont households in Kintyre who object to the proposed siting of the offshore wind farm remove all their power requirements to an alternative energy provider. That would strongly indicate feeling against the proposal for the location of the Offshore wind farm.

[daisy]

Was nice to see the Courier giving good coverage to the issues, and also very good to see the comments by Mach Dunes.

They've been given a lot of grant money, and are high profile with the Scottish Government, so that should carry some weight.

[Kintyre Forum News]

Couple of meetings that people should be thinking of attending.

I wanted to make you aware that we have public exhibitions coming up for the Kintyre Offshore Wind Project.

The events are as follows:

Thursday 5th August Campbeltown Town Hall 2pm to 8pm

Friday 6th August Machrihanish Golf Club 11am to 2pm

It would be great to see you at one of the events.

Best regards,

Chris

Chris Bell
Corporate Affairs
SSE (Scottish and Southern Energy)
16 Robertson Street, Glasgow, G2 8DS
T +44 (0) 141 225 8488 M +44 (0) 7834 186 092 Press Office +44
(0) 845 0760 530
E chris.bell@sserenewables.com Web http://www.sse.com

Just to highlight the meetings this week. See above

[Mack]

At least we've had a more than reasonably debate about the subject. My opinion is still firmly against the windfarm project, as I don't understand the need for this titanic blot on a wonderful seascape. Kintyre has done its bit for saving the world, the spine of the peninsula is chock full of wind turbines - enough is enough! In my opinion, we should be supporting the people of the village, those whose families have lived here for generations and, have built a life via tourism, fishing the coast, etc etc. Its amazing how south Kintyre has had to fight one cause or another in recent years. We ask for something important - like a ferry to Ireland and, are offered something we don't need in this gigantic windfarm. Coals to Newcastle seems to ring a bell.

VisitScotland recently asked us to sell our country to foreign visitors. It is very difficult when the present governing regime still hasn't a clue whither it wants to be Brigadoon or a leader in green energy. If it means our coastal waters are to be blighted with giant towers - i'll take the former please!

[jowett63]

It has been a lovely evening tonight so I and a fair few others took our dogs down onto middle beach. There was good clarity across to Malin Head on the Irish Coast and beyond. Of course Rathlin Island stood out dark and clear. Rathlin island was 30km from where I stood and its cliffs are 450ft high at their tallest. These turbines will be 400 ft high and little over 3km from where I stood...so imagine if rathlin Island was dragged 28km closer and moored in the bay and you have some idea of how mindboggling large these turbines will loom!

I turned around and looked inland and as it was so still not a single one of the turbines at Tangy was turning. So Sheik, the point is that it is not an either or situation with wind and non wind methods...it is both. They are a necessary evil, like Longannet etc, but where there is a choice (and believe me there is here) why should they be planted so close to a coast whose livelihood and legacy is its spectacular maritime heritage? Answer -profit for SSE through a huge return on investment due to the ease of erecting these things inshore. Look at all the other developments in this round...not one come near to being as close or on such a scale in such a small area.

Be very wary too of the statistics used by SSE to convince us that this desolation of Machrihanish Bay is a price worth paying. Eon who developed Robin Rigg based their assessment of it generating enough energy for 100k+ households on an annual household consumption of 4,700KWH. SSE have based their risible claim that 400k+ households will be supplied by this development on an annual consumption figure of only 3,300KWH a year- over a third yes. So using the figures deployed by Eon at Robin Rigg this development would supply way under 300k homes! Of course if it was built already then tonight it would be supplying 0 homes, as it is flat calm and the blades would be still....but the view to Rathlin would still be destroyed....

[Bobbie En Tejas]

Just curious reading through the thread and wondering.. Is there anyone there who is pushing for this who isn't part of the agenda, doesn't work for them, and doesn't stand to profit from it?

Seems like everyone trying to convince people how great it will be are those who have ties to the industry.

I know i don't live there, but I have seen how beautiful it is, and I have also seen how much different even one oil well can make.. it would be very sad, very sad indeed, if a handful accomplish this and the generations are stuck with it.

[StephenJ]

It is not unheard of for large organisations to enlist users to "seed" blogs and forums with pro and con viewpoints to stimulate debate. I'm not saying that's what's happening here, but it's not outwith the realms of possibility either.

[red]

That's really twisted !

[StephenJ]

As unlikely as it sounds, I once met an Australian woman whose job was to recruit people to take pro and con positions about water saving and reuse on blogs and forums in Queensland. Although stimulating debate was one aim, there was still a "correct" point of view that was being pushed from behind the scenes.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/greenspace/2010/01/australian-water-crisis-provides-clues-for-california-at-gday-usa.html

The key phrase from the article is "On the consumer end, Queensland instituted an aggressive campaign to change the behavior of its residents". The scale of the Kintyre wind project and the strength of the government commitment to wind means that I would expect those with a financial interest to be nothing less than agressive in their campaigning.