Renew On Line (UK) 26

Extracts from the May-June 2000 edition of Renew
These extracts only represent about 25% of it

1. Local Renewables- Rural diversification starts

Three Welsh hill farmers have joined forces to develop a small windfarm, consisting of three 1.3MW machines, at Moel Meologan, in the hills near Llanrwst. Conwy Council has backed the project- as have the local community councils, who, according to Windpower Monthly (Feb.), 'are fully aware of the problems faced by local farmers and are concerned to maintain real communities'.

The farmers diversification effort has been aided by the Devon-based Farm Energy consultancy. Peter Crone from Farm Energy commented ' this is the only thing to keep them on the land'. Friends of the Earth Cymru has pointed out that wind energy can offer an economic lifeline to stricken farming communities- the project should safeguard several up-land jobs and up to nine families. FoE Cymru told Windpower Monthly that they were very unhappy with those who were trying to marginalise wind power on account of landscape impact 'Those organisations should consider the adverse social and upland environmental effects of depriving hill farmers of a secure income'.

There is still some way to go, however, in terms of securing financing The project has NFFO support, which will now presumably have to be renegotiated, given the demise of the NFFO.

Farm Energy are also supporting work on two other small wind schemes - a single 750kW machine for a dairy farm in Devon, and a 1.3MW unit on the Orkneys.

It’s good to see the ideas discussed at NATTA’s recent Local Renewables Conference being put into practice. We report on some other initiatives in our Groups section-including the North Tawton project in Devon.