This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Cairn Uish wind farm gets go ahead
21/01/2003
Scottish Ministers have approved proposals to construct and
operate what will be Scotland's largest wind farm to date, a 56
megawatt unit at Cairn Uish in Moray.
Fred Olsen Renewables Limited will develop the wind farm,
the first to gain consent under the devolved powers of section
36 of the Electricity Act 1989.
Deputy Enterprise Minister Lewis Macdonald said:
"This proposal will make a meaningful contribution to the
delivery of the
Scottish Climate Change Programme and equates to
approximately 10% of the additional renewable generation needed
to meet Scotland's 2010 target.
"The output of the clean electricity from the Cairn Uish
windfarm is equivalent to 32% of Moray's total electricity
demand including domestic, public service and industrial
use.
"The decision to grant consent on this proposal followed a
lengthy consultation process designed to ensure that the
Executive's drive towards realising natural renewable resources
for all our futures does not come at an unacceptable cost to
our existing environment.
"The conditions attached to this consent provide necessary
safeguards to protect the hydrology and ecology of the site
during and beyond the life span of the windfarm. Additionally,
the conditions ensure that measures are in place to protect
breeding birds and maintain the integrity of the peatland
habitats."
Minister for the Environment and Rural Affairs Ross Finnie
said:
"The Scottish Executive has put policies in place which
demonstrate our commitment to the Climate Change Programme, the
Cairn Uish proposal is the first stage in meeting future energy
needs from Scotland's abundant energy-rich natural
resources.
"It is clear that doing nothing is not an option if we hope
to address the problems of climate change. Harnessing renewable
energy is common sense and delivers for us all.
"We have set a framework in place which will see more
proposals which demonstrate sound environmental stewardship for
Scotland."
Fred Olsen Renewables Limited is the UK arm of the Renewable
Energy Division of the Norwegian Quoted companies Ganger Rolf
ASA and Bonheur ASA. The company is currently developing a
number of land sites and has recently been awarded three
licences to develop offshore wind farms off the coast of
Ireland
The Scottish Climate Change Programme sets out the measures
the Executive is taking, in partnership with the UK Government
to combat the threat of Climate Change. These include a
commitment to take the use of electricity from renewable
sources in Scotland to 18% by 2010.
The Cairn Uish Proposal is for a 28 turbine windfarm with a
generation capacity of 56 Megawatts. It is situated on the
rounded hill top of Cairn Uish in a hilly area varying in land
use between open moorland and broad stretches of forestry
plantation, 13km south west of Elgin and 10km due west of
Rothes.