Developers claim Dulater turbines are no bird threat

By MARK MACKAY, 7 July 2014 1.06pm.

Tourism and wildlife in one of Scotland’s most scenic visitor locations would be unaffected by the presence of a windfarm, green energy developers have claimed.

Ecotricity has stirred up a hornet’s nest with its proposals for 17 turbines at a sensitive location in Highland Perthshire.

The chosen site has boundaries with a string of nationally and internationally important bird and plant habitats, including Loch of the Lowes and the Forest of Clunie.

Anti-windfarm campaigners have already branded the choice of site for the Dulater turbines “bizarre”, claiming it has no hope of seeing the light of day.

News of the development has also dismayed local groups, including Dunkeld and Birnam Community Council, which is fighting a slew of windfarm applications.

Gloucestershire-based Ecotricity is, however, confident its development can be accommodated in the landscape with minimum disruption and will be working hard to overcome opposition.

Spokesman Nick Osbourne said: “We have been building windfarms for 18 years and only install turbines in locations we are absolutely confident can accommodate them.

“Given the extensive assessments we have undertaken, we are very confident the site is an appropriate place for a wind park of this size.

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Three-year bird study ends plans to extend world's biggest windfarm

by ClickGreen staff. Published Wed 19 Feb 2014 11:05

The consortium behind the world's biggest offshore windfarm, the London Array, has today announced it will no longer proceed with its next phase of planned development.

The decision follows a review by the consortium members of their respective portfolios, the technical challenges and the environmental uncertainties surrounding the site, which require a wait of at least three years until Phase 2’s potential impact on birds could be completely assessed.

Operators of the London Array have now formally requested The Crown Estate to terminate the agreement for lease for the Phase 2 area and has cancelled the remaining grid capacity it had reserved at the National Grid substation at Cleve Hill, Graveney, Kent.

News of the abandoned plans was made as another development consortium Forewind confirmed it was downsizing the total capacity of offshore wind farm projects in the Dogger Bank Zone from 9GW to 7.2GW.

The group, which is made up of RWE, SSE, Statkraft and Statoil, said the revision follows “more than four years of offshore and onshore surveys and assessments, which have concluded that the developer’s focus should be on those projects which are most likely to achieve a positive financial investment decision at this time”.

The double blow of losing nearly 2GW of planned wind energy capacity is a setback in the UK's race to achieve its 2020 renewable energy targets.

London Array General Manager Mike O’Hare said: “Phase 2 has always been subject to a Grampian condition requiring London Array to demonstrate that any change caused by the additional turbines to the habitat of the Red Throated Divers that overwinter in this part of the Thames Estuary would not compromise its status as a designated environmental Special Protection Area.

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