Breakish Wind Farm

Wind turbines have many advantages. Wind energy is 100% clean energy that is free from many of the damaging problems inherent in coal, oil, gas, or nuclear power. Wind energy has none of the major drawbacks inherent in other forms of electricity: no geopolitical risks, no foreign energy dependence, no fuel risk, no exploration, no refineries, no pipelines, no depletion of raw materials no radioactive waste, and virtually no carbon emissions.

First, it is clean. The electricity produced by a wind turbine creates none of the carbon emissions that drive the climate emergency. While carbon is created through building, transporting, and installing turbines, typically after 6-18 months each turbine has already saved more than was created from its production.

Second, it is efficient. When you burn coal, oil, or gas to create electricity a huge amount of energy is lost in the process. Wind energy, on the other hand, is 100 percent efficient at turning wind into electricity.

Third, wind energy is cheaper than fossil fuels. Wind drives down the price of power by reducing the need for expensive fossil fuel generators. Without it, we are dependent more on costly imports with price fluctuations depending on the political unrest in countries which increase our bills – that’s what we’ve been seeing recently.

Lastly, wind energy is renewable and local. It is a resource that we have plenty of in Scotland, so much of the oil and gas that we burn to produce electricity is imported from other countries, and the availability fluctuates. The more we use wind to power our homes and businesses, the less we are reliant on importing expensive fossil fuels, and the closer we are to having the security of our energy.

One of the main challenges of wind power is its variability and intermittency, which means that the amount of electricity generated by wind turbines depends on the wind speed and direction, which are not constant or predictable. This can cause problems in integrating wind power into the electric grid, which always requires a balance between supply and demand.

Some of the possible solutions to address this challenge are:

• Improving the forecasting of wind resources and atmospheric conditions, using advanced models, sensors, and data analysis. This can help optimise the operation and control of wind power plants and reduce uncertainty and risk.
• Developing and deploying energy storage technologies, such as batteries, that can store excess wind power when it is not needed and release it when it is needed. This can help smooth out the fluctuations in wind power output and provide backup power during low-wind periods.

Wind farms bring positive benefits to the communities surrounding a development. This could be through community benefit payments, shared ownership opportunities, and employment opportunities, these benefits can create a long-term legacy. Wind development companies are keen to use as many local people as possible. During the initial environmental impact assessment surveys many local surveyors are hired to work on the initial phase, and additional opportunities are available to the communities during the construction, operational, and decommissioning phases of the development.

Currently, approximately 90 percent of most wind turbine components can be recycled. However, universities, manufacturers, and suppliers are working to develop commercial-scale solutions to sustainably manage turbine blades once they have reached the end of their useful lives.

There has been no medical or scientific study that has been subjected to peer review that has shown a correlation between living near a wind farm and adverse effects on human health. In general, moving away from traditional power generation to renewable energy sources will prevent further emissions of carbon and other air pollutants that are known to cause problems to public health.

Wind turbine blades contain only microscopic traces of residual BPA and therefore do not account for large, or any, emissions of BPA or microplastics to the environment. There is no scientific evidence that backs the claims that wind turbine blades shed dangerous amounts of microplastics and bisphenol A (BPA). Read more.

The most likely option would be to bring components in via Kyle. We’ve surveyed the port and it’s possible, albeit with temporary modification to public realm infrastructure. The quayside at the Mowi plant may also be technically feasible, but subject to Mowi’s agreement.

The turbine blades will be stored on site within a temporary lay-down area adjacent to the foundations on which they are to be bolted ready for assembly. Delivery of wind turbine components to the site is generally scheduled on a ‘just in time’ basis to minimise storage requirements.

Possibly – this will be informed by the transport survey and subsequent discussions with interested parties (nearby occupants, other grazing’s etc.) around that location.

This may be possible as part of a wider public access strategy. It’s under consideration and could fit well with other access-related community initiatives currently ongoing (eg. cycle paths etc.).

A battery energy storage system allows the storage of electricity to even out the peaks and troughs of a wind farm. The power can be released onto the grid at peak usage times even if the wind isn’t blowing. We are ensuring a steady supply of power and in turn helping to prevent the need for important fossil fuels from across the globe. The higher electricity costs that everyone has faced in recent times help to illustrate the impact of world events on our cost of living. It allows us to increase our energy security and ensure a cheap secure supply of energy to meet our current and future demands.

There is a low level of noise emitted from batteries, however, through the survey work during the environmental impact assessment noise monitoring is carried out and the level of noise will be within the acceptable parameters and will be no louder than the existing background noise.

The battery site will be in operation for as long as the wind farm and will be decommissioned at the end of its life and the land reinstated.

The area surrounding the battery storage facility will be planted to screen the development this will also create new habitats to help increase the biodiversity in the area.