WINDFARM operators have been paid a record-breaking £3.1m – for turning off their turbines for a single day. They raked in the “constraint” payment as they had managed to produce more electricity than Scotland needed over a 24-hour period. Scotland’s turbines provided 39,545MWh of electricity to the National Grid, while its total electricity consumption by householders and industry was 37,202MWh. Highland-based industry watcher Stuart Young said: “I was disgusted how people were crowing about how much electricity had been generated by wind when customers are going to be hit so hard in their pockets. “The number of megawatt hours wasted – constrained off – was 46,150. That’s equivalent to what the whole of the UK consumes in an hour in winter. “When people realise what’s being done to them, to benefit a small number of wealthy people for no environmental benefit, they’re going to be very angry.” But World Wildlife Fund Scotland director Lang Banks called for improvements to the National Grid by increasing its storage capacity. He said: “Those concerned about payments to power firms to reduce their output should be supporting our calls to see improvements to the grid, stronger interconnectors and more energy storage capacity such as pumped hydro.”
Daily Express 15th Aug 2016 read more »
Campaigners against wind farms, and Conservative politicians, called for an overhaul of a system in which the taxpayer was hit by substantial costs when too much electricity is produced. Stuart Young, a Highland-based anti-wind farm campaigner, said: “I was disgusted how people were crowing about how much electricity had been generated by wind when customers are going to be hit so hard in their pockets. “The number of megawatt hours wasted – constrained off – was 46,150. That’s equivalent to what the whole of the UK consumes in an hour in winter. When people realise what’s being done to them, to benefit a small number of wealthy people for no environmental benefit, they’re going to be very angry.” The MSP Ross Thomson, for the Scottish Conservatives, said: “Customers who have subsidised the construction of wind farms across Scotland will be bemused to discover that they also have to pay out when it blows too hard.”These record payments only serve to highlight a system which now requires an urgent rethink.” A spokesman for the Scottish government said: “Constraint payments such as these demonstrate the urgent need for further investment in the electricity transmission network across Britain to ensure it can meet the needs of the 21st century.”
Times 16th August 2016 read more »
Herald 15th August 2016 read more »
Press and Journal 15th August 2016 read more »