Although this blog was discontinued in July 2014, I am briefly reopening it to report on an issue that Arnish Lighthouse was very vocal on.
Local journalist Iain Maciver
has revealed that power company GDF / Suez has cancelled the
construction of the 39-turbine windfarm in the Eishken district of
Lewis. The reasons appear to be that the procrastination over the
building of the high voltage sub-sea electricity cable (interconnector)
was one of the main reasons. The economic case for said cable has always
been flimsy, and is now no longer viable. What renewable energy schemes
are left in the island, including the 26-turbine windfarm to the
northeast in Pairc, are insufficient to make the case for the cable.
Since 2005, this blog has been very vocal in its opposition to any large-scale windfarms in Lewis.
The 180-turbine North Lewis windfarm was scuttled in 2008, after it was
found to be in breach of an EU habitat directive that is in place for
the central moorlands of the island. Any plans for a resurrection on a
smaller scale are now at least in doubt.
There is a silver lining for those to whom this news constitutes a
cloud. A cancellation clause means that £2 million pounds of community
benefit will be transferred to community groups, who were due to receive
£1m annually, had the windfarm materialised.
