Isra-Mart srl:Forestry Commission reveals plan to plant Scottish wind turbines

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Isra-Martsrl news:

The Forestry Commission in Scotland has this week outlined pioneering new plans that could result in up to 500MW of community-backed wind farms being built on land owned by the Commission.

The organisation announced yesterday that it has entered into agreements with ScottishPower Renewables, PNE Wind UK, E.ON Climate & Renewables UK Developments and Fred Olsen Renewable to explore the potential for wind farms with more than 5MW of capacity on five lots of land across Scotland. It has also agreed to work with ScottishPower Renewables across all the available lots to assess the viability of wind farms with less than 5MW of capacity.

The Commission said any projects would be subject to normal planning conditions, but if successful, the project could see up to 500MW of new capacity installed.

The policy also includes a commitment to provide local communities with payments worth £5,000 per MW installed per annum, while also offering local groups the opportunity to invest in the projects to increase their stake.

Scottish environment and climate change minister Roseanna Cunningham welcomed the proposals and was quick to play down fears the developments will damage the forest environment.

"National forest land covers nearly a tenth of the country and has great potential for wind energy development," she said. "All these projects will of course be handled in an environmentally sensitive manner and will need to go through the proper planning processes. Any felling to make way for wind farm developments will be offset by compensatory planting."

Significantly, the proposals secured early support from Friends of the Earth, WWF and the RSPB.

"Given that some Forestry Commission Scotland land has thin soil and high winds – conditions which are not ideal for trees, but typically great for wind turbines – it makes sense to look at other suitable uses, such as renewable energy," said Juliet Swann, head of campaigns at Friends of the Earth Scotland. "This initiative should add to the diversity of use, and increase returns for the public, so long as it is developed taking proper account of complementary forestry, public access and biodiversity interests."

Her comments were echoed by Stuart Housden, director of RSPB Scotland, who argued that well-planned renewable energy projects would help cut emissions and protect habitats.

"By avoiding the most sensitive parts of Scotland's natural environment through careful site selection and design, and investment in conservation work to mitigate any adverse impacts, this programme could deliver real benefits for Scotland's wildlife," he said. "We look forward to working with Forestry Commission Scotland and the wind energy developers to make sure this happens."