Sunday 14 December 2014

Wind Farm - cheap energy?

New era of cheap oil 'will destroy green revolution'

'Anne Robinson, director of consumer policy at the uSwitch price comparison website, said: “More subsidies are likely to be needed [for green power] as the gap between the cost of fossil fuel power and renewable power gets bigger.” The extra subsidies would be borne by households in the form of higher energy bills.'

http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/new-era-of-cheap-oil-will-destroy-green-revolution-9922217.html

UK poor will need help with energy bills, says CCC

'A report by the Committee on Climate Change (CCC) said subsidies for clean energy will add an extra 36p per day onto household bills by 2030.'

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-30404364

Energy prices and bills impacts of meeting carbon budgets
'Committee Report on Climate Change: December 2014'

You can locate the full report here.

Stylish electricity pylons send shockwaves through the National Grid

'The National Grid has them in mind for part of its new 33-mile power line connecting a series of planned wind farms in Powys to the main national electricity network in Shropshire.'

http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/architecture/current-affairs-the-stylish-electricity-pylons-sending-shockwaves-through-the-national-grid-9919405.html

5 comments:

  1. Vattenfall hosted a Community Investment Workshop (CIW) at Nocton Village Hall Tuesday 9th December to encourage discussions between interested parties to explore the potential opportunities that a wind energy development at Nocton Fen could bring to the area.

    Vattenfall terms of engagement set the following objectives.

    1. To begin to explore the potential community investment opportunities
    2. To begin to explore options for facilitating a community benefit fund.
    3. To obtain feedback and constructive comments on previous feedback
    4. To agree how information from the CIW will be fed back into the community.

    Details on the outcome of the workshop will be sent to all Parish Councillors in attendance (I counted approx 12) as well as the very few local members that attended (I counted approx 4) from throughout the Parishes.

    I attended as an observer but did add to the discussions. A number of action points, as well as ideas for potential community investment, were taken away by Vattenfall who will shortly present back to those attending.














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  2. I seem to remember during the trip to see Vattenfall's operational wind farm, the issue of the community fund was the most divisive thing for the various villages and people affected. Money always is a problem - everybody thinks they should have the lion's share!

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  3. My very thoughts after the meeting Geoff. I can see bun fights between Parishes on who gets what.

    Vattenfall do not have a published boundary radius or line of site distance defined for those that may be eligible for Community funding.

    "Compensation" for Wasps Nest residents appears to be a no no word due to the Community Fund being private money. They will suffer more than anyone else.





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  4. As you seem to suggest Mick, all parties will need to agree some criteria first. This must be the primary aim of any early negotiations. The objectives set for the Community Workshop seem to put the cart before the horse in my opinion! Firstly, it must be decided which communities actually qualify to make bids to the fund and those that do not. Other 'Community Funds' have based this on how/near any particular community is to the development, with the middle of the wind farm being the centre point for measurement. The criteria agreed incorporated a series of km boundary circles radiating out from the centre of the development, with a maximum point beyond which they would not qualify. An allocation of 'shares' could then be issued, with those communities close to the wind farm getting a higher share, than those further away. The formula should also reflect the number of people in the community concerned, perhaps by using a percentile. Of course, there will then have to be the appointment of a formal Community Fund Board to administer the whole thing. This body will have the difficult job of screening applications, to see which of these get priority, based on perceived benefits to the community. These may need to be 'weighted' and reflected in the formula for allocation of monies as well. Unfortunately, however right it seems for those living very close to the development to receive private compensation, I cannot see this happening in reality. The monies made available under these type of arrangements are not legal compensation in the truest sense - it is a 'Community Fund' to benefit the community as a whole. As such, the Parish Councils are the most democratically appointed bodies representative of our communities, so should be at the forefront of these negotiations in my opinion. Ah well, whatever my views, I'm sure it will all come out in the wash... along with all the debate and arguments!!

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  5. I think it will be a percentile. Tween Bridge is an interesting example. It consists of 22 turbines and the boundary does not radiate from the centre. They mapped from various site boundary points out to a distance of 3 miles. It may well be boundary circles perhaps radiating from the outer turbines, who knows.

    You mentioned "the criteria agreed" with regard to the boundary for Community benefit. More bun fights I guess.

    Time for a beer

    Mick Middleton

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