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moffatross


Posts: 1525
Joined: Mar 2006
Clyde Wind Farm ... metastasising !
Date Posted: 00.34hrs on Tue 2 Oct 12
This news item including an interview with Alex Salmond on STV news was from just 2 years ago, before the Clyde Wind Farm construction had even begun.

[www.youtube.com]

It was first planned at 152 turbines sprawling across the county lines dividing Dumfriesshire, the Borders and South Lanarkshire but quickly got planning extension to add another 52 which are being completed right now around the Camps Reservoir, a stunning little gem of a loch hidden away in the hills behind Abington.

Queensberry is next up with the 'Harestanes' development (it's funny how these schemes get given names that people won't associate with the hills they'll actually be built on) and then, despite objections by D&G and Borders councils, the Devil's Beef Tub and Hart Fell's northern flanks will likely be developed soon enough afterwards with the deviously titled 'Earlshaugh' development.

The Clyde Wind Farm is built on hills to the west of Tweedsmuir (Clyde Law, Dun Law etc) which were until recently, windswept, open grazing land mixed with forestry. Now they're an industrial landscape of energy infrastructure that defines the horizon's views across large swathes of the Southern Uplands.

Here's a little video taster of the reality of being there. It's hard to get the scale but each turbine is about twice the length of a passenger airliner, spaced about 300 metres apart and separated by a hardpack road about 30 metres across, stretching along the ridge lines as far as the eye can see. The noise of the turbines is astonishing and their deep, 'woomp, woomp, woomp' is heard from at least a mile away as you approach them on foot.

[www.youtube.com]

According to Alex Salmond though, schemes like these are of such great benefit to our country that to be fair, I think other parts of Scotland could share in the good fortunes of the South. What about railroading through a couple of hundred turbines across the heart of the Cairngorms NP, another couple of hundred in the Trossachs, perhaps a few hundred through Glencoe and Rannoch Moor ? Or how about seeing how your voters feel about that by just starting off with say 3 or 4 on top of Arthur's Seat eh Alex ? Then you could enjoy their sights and sounds over a working lunch.



Edited 2 times. Last edit at 00.59hrs Tue 2 Oct 12 by moffatross.
Gorminator


Posts: 667
Joined: Jan 2011
Last Visited: 15:45
11th Aug 2019
Re: Clyde Wind Farm ... metastasising !
Date Posted: 19.34hrs on Tue 2 Oct 12
Well said Ross.
My opinions on this man are fairly well documented on another part of this site.

Scouping up the sauce over at the Ryder cup then continuing to turn Jockland into a massive wind-park!!!
There is another one going in at Luichart/Glascarnoch - brilliant not !!!!

EX HMF
Nelbert


Posts: 281
Joined: Oct 2009
Last Visited: 16:26
23rd Aug 2015
Re: Clyde Wind Farm ... metastasising !
Date Posted: 20.31hrs on Tue 2 Oct 12
All you can see from any hill in Glasgow are the masses and masses of turbines that make up Whitelees etc farms on the Fenwick moor. While a distance away they are clearly visible, if they can get away with it there they will do it anywhere.

Except perhaps the Pentlands within view of the capital (I stand to be corrected there however - I don't know if they have built one there but I doubt it)

Unfortunately if there are not enough people objecting there to raise the political will to stop that blight on the landscape there you've got no chance in your neck of the woods...

The other argument is always I want my lights, LED tv, surround sound, computer to switch on when I need them, and I want to take my electric train to work without completely poisoning the atmosphere or the threat of turning the whole country into a nuclear wasteland.

Its exactly like the arguments about airports. I want to go my holidays where and when I want to go but I don't want plane after plane flying over my house.

I don't know enough about it but are all these windfarms going to benefit the country? My wee mate builds offshore ones all over the place, and makes a fortune doing it.




Edited 1 times. Last edit at 20.34hrs Tue 2 Oct 12 by Nelbert.
alan


Posts: 10768
Joined: Nov 1994
Last Visited: 17:02
27th Mar 2024
What's this?What's this?What's this?
Re: Clyde Wind Farm ... metastasising !
Date Posted: 20.56hrs on Tue 2 Oct 12
There are proposals (still in fairly stages, though one may start to be progressed in 2014 or there abouts) for two massive pump storage hydro schemes in the mountains above the Great Glen. The one at the more advanced stage of planning with a planning application now in involves Coire Glas above Loch Lochy, information from SSE at [www.sse.com] .

George, do you know anything about the other one? (above Loch Ness?).

Backed by massive pumped storage you start to have the capacity to store the energy captured by wind turbines, whatever the pros and cons of onshore wind it would certainly provide more security of supply. Also, with better mesoscale forecasting models it's possible to pretty accurately assess output from wind a couple of days ahead and this should continue to improve.

Of course tides are much more predictable and if tidal turbines (as opposed to barrages) can be turned into a proven and commercially viable technology from current trials then there is huge potential.

All said and done, reducing energy consumption would be preferable to lots of new generation and transmission infrastructure, in that regard the ramping up of building standards in incremental stages to a 2017 target of a 100% reduction in carbon emissions for space heating and water heating over the 1999 standards is surely welcome?
Gorminator


Posts: 667
Joined: Jan 2011
Last Visited: 15:45
11th Aug 2019
Re: Clyde Wind Farm ... metastasising !
Date Posted: 20.58hrs on Tue 2 Oct 12
Remember, we don't have wind all the time - unless you include the First Minister's cake hole as a hot air atmospheric vent !!

But the uncanny thing I have noticed over the years is that the tide goes in and out in a fairly predictable and documented fashion !!!

The first Minister and his deputy ....= two flailing out of control wind turbines !!! with too much power.

Ex HMF
moffatross


Posts: 1525
Joined: Mar 2006
Re: Clyde Wind Farm ... metastasising !
Date Posted: 23.59hrs on Tue 2 Oct 12
It is sad how politicised energy policy has become and funny how the little people accept being told to reduce their own energy consumption, and get taxed on what they use, while the policy makers are comfortable being chauffeured or jetted about their daily lives.

So while it's obviously the right thing to keep the seas, lochs and air free of pollution, to recycle materials, reduce fossil fuel burning and find new and innovative ways to generate fuel and power without pumping CO2 into the atmosphere and raising the snowline in the process, we shouldn't feel guilty about energy consumption at all. The Universe is made of energy and as a species we are smart enough to find ways of tapping into as much of it as we need to, to keep warm, get about, make stuff and grow food without screwing everything else up in the process.

Wind farms should be part of a mixed energy policy although it seems government has no 'Plan B' and just wants to approve as many applications as it can get away with (as long as they can't be seen in Edinburgh or in Cameron McNeish's back yard) but in my part of Scotland at least, the industrialisation of the hills is already becoming too obvious.

The irony that almost all of the turbines that have been erected so far in Scotland have been manufactured anywhere and everywhere but and by foreign companies, also seems to have been lost on Government ...

[en.wikipedia.org]

... and despite all their rhetoric, it seems such a missed opportunity that the politicians in Holyrood didn't have the vision or imagination to bring those manufacturing jobs to Glasgow.

Regards nuclear power, Fukushima has given it a worse rep than ever, and yes, our crap, inefficient, dirty and unreliable old reactors do need carefully decommissioning but they also need viably replacing. While the SNP continue to oppose nuclear power, and maybe win some votes by it, in the long run, Scotland will never really be an independent nation if it can't power itself when it runs out of oil. Whether tidal and pump storage will ever have the capacity and right economics is hard to know but clean, safe, fission reactors (that don't breed Plutonium and other weapon fissiles) are ready to develop now and Thorium (not Uranium) can provide the fuel (at least until fusion technologies comes along and we are all able to power our DeLoreans with potatoes). This organisation should be lobbying Holyrood ...

[www.the-weinberg-foundation.org]



Edited 4 times. Last edit at 10.44hrs Wed 3 Oct 12 by moffatross.
Gorminator


Posts: 667
Joined: Jan 2011
Last Visited: 15:45
11th Aug 2019
Re: Clyde Wind Farm ... metastasising !
Date Posted: 11.39hrs on Thu 4 Oct 12
Alan, Corrie Glass is spot on.

I can't find any info for the other one, things have gone sort of quiet. but I do know it is not so big - generated output wise.

It's site was to enlarge the loch (Loch nam Breac Dearga) below the north-west slopes of Meall Fuar mhonaidh opposite Foyers and use the same kind of pump/storage technique.

Never mind Cruachan Pump Storage facility in Argyll, which is a toy !!

To see a real one check out Dinorwig in north Wales or as it's known The Electric Mountain !

Scottish Water are proposing to build a few Modular sets at some, of their already developed, situations.

There is a small set right next to the A9 just south of the Ballinluig Service Area. It just looks like a large shed/garage.Don't know who's it is. Perhaps an estate. Havn't travelled this by road for a while now.

I read a book in Clunie Power Station - Pitlochry some years ago, and it described schemes which had been investigated in the 40s/50s for future development. One that comes to the memory involved the River Findhorn.

EX HMF

PS over to the caravanette man for spell checks now !!

PPS Mr Alba, HMF comes from Harris (God's Country)

Gorminator


Posts: 667
Joined: Jan 2011
Last Visited: 15:45
11th Aug 2019
Re: Clyde Wind Farm ... metastasising !
Date Posted: 11.59hrs on Thu 4 Oct 12
There are two schemes south of Ballinluig.

Dowally Burn

Loch Broom Burn

Ex HMF
Gorminator


Posts: 667
Joined: Jan 2011
Last Visited: 15:45
11th Aug 2019
Re: Clyde Wind Farm ... metastasising !
Date Posted: 21.47hrs on Thu 4 Oct 12
Just seen a bit on Reporting Scotland about the long running saga between Donald Trumph (sic) and the developers of the proposed windfarm off Aberdeen.

The gadgie who is promoting the development spouting the usual intentional or unintentional rubbish that the power from the development will benefit in this case Aberdeen.

All power generated from these things is a sellable commodity that is put into the National Grid, not,in this case to feed the street lights that illuminate Union Street.

Ex HMF
moffatross


Posts: 1525
Joined: Mar 2006
Re: Clyde Wind Farm ... metastasising !
Date Posted: 10.32hrs on Fri 5 Oct 12
[www.bbc.co.uk]

Britain risks running out of energy generating capacity in the winter of 2015-16, according to the energy regulator Ofgem. Its report predicted that the amount of spare capacity could fall from 14% now to only 4% in three years. Ofgem said this would leave Britain relying more on imported gas, which would make price rises more likely. The government said that its forthcoming Energy Bill would ensure that there was secure supply. Ofgem blames the risk on coal-fired power stations being closed sooner than expected and EU environmental legislation.

[www.snp.org]

[www.scottishlabour.org.uk]

It's a bit of a mire of misinformation in those two. They've really got to make up their minds because chances are that Scotland will effectively go forward with one or the other of them.
STFU


Posts: 78
Joined: Sep 2012
Last Visited: 22:47
13th Jan 2013
Re: Clyde Wind Farm ... metastasising !
Date Posted: 23.36hrs on Wed 14 Nov 12
I work for SSE and I plan and implement wind farms

They're a joke to be honest
Gorminator


Posts: 667
Joined: Jan 2011
Last Visited: 15:45
11th Aug 2019
Re: Clyde Wind Farm ... metastasising !
Date Posted: 21.28hrs on Thu 15 Nov 12
I to work indirectly for S&SE and the vast majority of engineers have seen through the Wind farm bubble, even the ones that have company/wind farm cars!

I was passenger in a car going through to Aberdeen from Inverness yesterday, and once you pass Fochabers just about every point of the stretching 360 degree horizon you look to has towers and blades !

Even spotted two of the preliminary towers that are erected to monitor wind patterns/directions/velocity on not too distant hills.

Ex HMF
Soothsinger


Posts: 139
Joined: Oct 2008
Last Visited: 12:15
14th Dec 2020
Re: Clyde Wind Farm ... metastasising !
Date Posted: 11.28hrs on Wed 21 Nov 12
I live in South Lanarkshire(Carluke) and I enjoy walking in the local Lamington Hills.

At first I was fairly indifferent when it came to the wind farms. If anything I was maybe interested in them. I can remember driving up to have a look at the wind farm in Forth.

The novelty has well and truly worn off. I didn't mind too much having a few turbines in the horizon, but now I am starting to feel boxed in by them. They are everywhere.

When revisiting my walk along the Lamington hills they really have caused a vast amount of damage to a place that was extremely tranquil and unpopulated.

I worry what these farms are going to look like in 30 years time. I can imagine the image would fit into an episode of "Lost" quite comfortably. Old, rusty, dirty turbines.....and they'll be everywhere.

As someone who is more than proud of Scotlands landscape and beauty, I have serious concerns about how many of these farms are popping up. Especially in South Lanarkshire.

www.DavidAJack.co.uk
KGreene


Posts: 2
Joined: Dec 2013
Last Visited: 11:27
5th Dec 2013
Re: Clyde Wind Farm ... metastasising !
Date Posted: 10.54hrs on Thu 5 Dec 13
Hi Moffatross & all others in this thread -

I'm a masters student in environmental science, working on acceptance of wind farms. One of my case studies is Clyde Wind Farm. Any chance some of you who live in the vicinity of the turbines may want to talk to me about their experience?

I'm happy to remain on an anonymous basis.

Best regards,

KGreene
WindyMiller


Posts: 654
Joined: Sep 2010
Last Visited: 17:31
1st Sep 2019
Re: Clyde Wind Farm ... metastasising !
Date Posted: 09.53hrs on Fri 6 Dec 13
KGreene Wrote:


I'm a masters student in environmental science, working on acceptance of wind farms. One of my case studies is Clyde Wind Farm. Any chance some of you who live in the vicinity of the turbines may want to talk to me about their experience?



What I would like to know is why has this country sticks to the colour white? On the continent turbines that will be viewed from some distance away are green, brown and even camouflaged depending on the back ground colours. This doe not help close up but does reduce the long view impact. White or grey is ideal for sky line but around here it is the long distance to be concerned about.

I was taking photographs of the Ryvoan Pass the other day from the Ciste car park and had to position myself to a less advantageous spot to try to avoid the multitude of bright white sticks perfectly framed by either side of the pass. An outstanding beautiful natural view destroyed. Maybe I should install plastic double glazing in my house, oh no I cant its a national park. Turbines that destroy the view in the park? no problem sir, how many do you want?

Graeme
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