Machrihanish Offshore Windfarm

[John S]

From my Facebook Case Book - http://www.facebook.com/#/profile.php?r ... =765044245

Airtricity Proposals to develop an off shore windfarm 3km from the Kintyre coast will see approximately 126 turbines in 70su km of seabed west of Machrihanish. While I am generally in favour of renewable energy production, this is the exception and will I feel destroy an invaluable asset that millions of people across the world hold dear... and that is the environment off the coast of Machrihanish.

Seabirds, surfers, walkers, golfers will all loose a valuable asset, interference with tidal drift could destroy the sand dunes at Machrihanish and the wave hight enjoyed by surfers. The views of Ireland from a coast recognized internationally for its world class vistas will be destroyed. These proposals must be drastically changed or stopped in their tracks. What do you think?

[mary]

This was on the news today - food for thought!



http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8379970.stm

[Mary G]

This looks like it will get very interesting.

From what I have read here, people are saying 'yes' in theory, but 'no' in practice to this specific location. Which is a fair enough stance, and one to which I would probably subscribe.

What might be an interesting angle to investigate is the question of 'lay-down' areas. From what I know about off-shore developments, the availability of land - lots of it - needed particularly at construction phases but also thereafter - is a big concern for developers, ie they are finding it hard to secure enough.

The west coast of Scotland has lots of potential in relation to its wind speed and frequency, etc, plus the sea bed structure and depth are good in lots of places. But when you look along the coast (and north beyond Kintyre in particular), access to suitably large port and related land facilities are more difficult to find.

Places like Barrow-in-Furness are allocating land for lay-down, and on the north-east coast of England Cleveland is also trying to identify suitable, sufficient land. On the east coast of Scotland Nigg is talked of as a possible (or current?) location for this type of function. These are all current or former major industrial establishments, and give some idea of the size and nature of facilities needed.

If Kintyre is being considered, it is likely also because, unlike most the rest of Argyll and the west highlands, there is low-lying land near the coast, accessible roads, and some greater possibility to develop the associated on-shore facilities.

So, if people are genuinely positive about this kind of development - and have strong views on what are appropriate and inappropriate locations - then maybe a good starting point could be to identify the sort of shore sites that could function well for lay-down and berthing. I guess some land-owners may start rubbing their hands ...

[John S]

From discussions with Airtricity major construction berthing is very unlikly to be in South Kintyre

[Frosty]

So if not Wind Turbines around the coast , what is the alternative source for our energy?
If the choice is these , plus local employment producing them , or Nuclear Power Stations blocking the view across the Atlantic I know which one I would choose?

fROSTY

[WC1]

But that's not the choice in this case.

[Frosty]

You are correct WC 1, I should have made it clear that I was asking the members to consider all the coastal locations not just the Atlantic and views from Machrihanish buildings.
However , there has to be consideration given to how this country is going to supply Electricity to the ever growing population in future years.
Some very unpopular decisions will have to be made,where there are no alternatives.

fROSTY

[Mary G]

From discussions with Airtricity major construction berthing is very unlikly to be in South Kintyre

That makes it sound like North Kintyre is an option. I imagine that a single shore / berthing/ lay-down facility could service both Kintyre and Islay off-shore wind-farms. If they get the go-ahead at all.

I think that the consultation and 'discussion with stakeholders' that the developers are offering should encompass both the on-shore facilities and the off-shore farm itself. It seems pointless to separate them, especially when the former is where all the jobs are.

[mrn]

Beachcomber wrote:

Also, bear in mind that at sealevel the horizon is only a couple of miles away anyway.

I'm no mathemagician, but I got this from Wikipedia:-

"In SI units, the straight line of sight distance d in kilometres to the true horizon on earth is approximately d = square root of 13h where h is the height above ground or sea level (in metres) of the eye of the observer.

"Examples:

"For an observer standing on the ground with h = 1.70 metres (5 ft 7 in) (average eye-level height), the horizon is at a distance of 4.7 kilometres (2.9 mls)."

and

"For a tower with a height of 100 m, the horizon distance is 35.7 km. Thus an observer on a beach can see the tower as long as it is not more than 40.35 km away."

That is really interesting. I was going to ask how can you see Islands in the distances if the horizon is only two miles away.

One thing I would like to see if an offshore windfarm is developed off of Kintyre is a reduction in electricty?

[Beachcomber]

One thing I would like to see if an offshore windfarm is developed off of Kintyre is a reduction in electricty?

I'm assuming you mean a reduction in electricity prices. I can't see that happening. The EU did away with the hydro discount years ago, and there's plenty of land-based wind power on Kintyre already but do you see any discount from it?

That being said, many community projects receive funding by way of the windfarm trusts.

[bassett]

Seabirds, surfers, walkers, golfers will all loose a valuable asset, interference with tidal drift could destroy the sand dunes at Machrihanish and the wave hight enjoyed by surfers. The views of Ireland from a coast recognized internationally for its world class vistas will be destroyed. These proposals must be drastically changed or stopped in their tracks. What do you think?

I think that sounds like a lot of scaremongering

I think I would rather have a windfarm situated off the coast of Kintyre rather than a nuclear power station elsewhere.

I think it is as already mentioned,a case of N.I.M.B.Y.

[WC1]

I came down the road this afternoon and was yet again astounded by the vista from above Killegruer down the west side of Kintyre to Machrihanish and the Mull, out to the hills of Antrim and Rathlin Isle and round to Islay. It's magnificent and I feel privileged to have it in my 'back yard'. We all should. 126 wind turbines will fill that vista completely and ruin it for all time. No jobs will be at risk if those 126 turbines are put up in a less scenically sensitive area, but that glorious seascape - of crucial importance in the development of tourism here - will be gone forever. That may be scaremongering, but it's necessary, because otherwise, after the event, a lot of people are going to be asking 'Why on earth did we let this happen?'

[antics]

How can we maximise the community benefit from such a development (if it is situated in the right place - and this means that it will affect someone's view). The community of Kintyre deserves more than just a paltry trust donation from wind farm developments (on shore and off shore). These things make a whack of profit for the long term and that surely deserves a % reinvestment in to the communities in which they are situated, not just a token £20 - £30 grand a year to be distributed like some of the existing trusts...

[myself]

Don't let it happen. It's not my 'backyard' any more but it would be really cruel to ruin the bay. Do it somewhere else!

[Mr.Everready]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8448203.stm