While the UK seems to be whipping itself into a frenzied panic about the possibility of Scotland voting itself out of the Union of Scotland England & Wales and becoming an independent country, a news story from Scotland achieved little publicity: Last week Scotland revealed its plans to follow a model for small scale wind turbines. And it appears that others outside of Scotland agree. The Institute for Public Policy Research has expressed its support for small-scale renewable projects, stating this approach would replace the reliance on larger, international companies and put the ownership back in the hands of communities.
Utilities have faced increasing competition from community-owned energy schemes adding to the rumor that the utility model is now outdated and on its way out. There are many examples in Scotland, England, and across the world of wind turbines owned by schools, farmers, businesses, and other co-operatives who are all benefiting from locally sourced, renewable energy. Not only does it provide carbon-free power, often cheaper than provided by a utility, but it can bring a community together. It is much easier to get approval for a single efficient tower and turbine than providing local electricity rather than a faceless conglomerate wind farm with multiple turbines, supplying/selling power to unseen recipients hundreds of miles from the source.
In addition, it appears that the appeal of making money by selling excess energy is not as enticing as it once was. Recent concerns over energy supply and rising prices are helping convince communities and landowners to explore options for installing smaller turbines. There is another bonus- because small-scale wind projects receive more support they have a higher success rate at the planning stage. Scotland will be following the Scandinavian model of small-scale wind turbines which has proved successful there.
One company, Fine Energy, is blowing the trumpet for small-scale wind turbines. They identify and develop the best sites for small-scale wind projects in the UK. They provide a zero-cost land rental option for individual landowners and farmers. They will be taking part in this year’s The Renewables Event, which will be held at the NEC (National Exhibition Centre) in Birmingham on 16-17 September 2014. The Renewables Event is an exhibition that allows companies to demonstrate their renewable energy solutions to a wide audience.
Meanwhile, back to Scotland: Promotion of green energy, particularly the growth of onshore and off-shore wind farms, has been one of the Scottish National Party’s key policies since 2007. The Scottish Government’s target is to generate the equivalent of 100% of the country’s electricity consumption, and 11% of heat demand, from renewables by 2020. There are now 219 operational wind farms in Scotland, with at least 2,400 turbines between them. In recent years, ministers have invested heavily in the sector, insisting Scotland has a quarter of all of Europe’s wind energy potential.
But with some increasing resistance to any more large-scale onshore commercial wind farms, the Scots look keen to embrace the Scandinavian model and further develop wind power, but with small-scale community-owned or leased turbines.
