Wind industry and Decc urged to come clean on output of wind farms - theecologist.org 4/5/11

With a new analysis showing UK wind farms operating at just 20 per cent of their capacity in 2010, the potential of wind power has been called into question. Eifion Rees examines the arguments from both sides

The efficacy of wind power has been called into question by a new report suggesting wind turbines are not living up to their billing by government and industry. Opponents are now urging both to make public data they hold on wind power.

Read full article:

http://www.theecologist.org/News/news_analysis/873232/wind_industry_and_decc_urged_to_come_clean_on_output_of_wind_farms.html

Energy Prices to increase Fuel Poverty - BBC

Quarter of Households predicted to turn-off Heating

Rising fuel bills may force a quarter of homes to turn off their heating at some point next winter, a price comparison site claims.

Uswitch says that last winter, an estimated 20% of people it surveyed had regularly turned off their heating.

And it predicts that with fuel tariffs expected to rise, the number will be higher this year.

The Bank of England said this week that gas prices could rise by 15% later this year, and electricity by 10%.

'Pray for a mild winter'

Uswitch said that a survey of almost 1,600 of its customers carried out in January had indicated that 20% of them had turned their heating off regularly in order to save money last winter.

The firm's spokesman Ann Robinson, the former chairman of Energywatch, says: "This time it's going to be a minimum of 25%."

Read Full Artcicle:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-13394095

Make sure your objection counts

Planners turning "Objections" to "Neutral"

This week a Fife Planning Case Officer notified SPOT Fife that it was common practice to adjust the "stance" of Comments made, from "Objecting" to "Neutral" if they deemed the content of the objection did not contain Material Considerations.

Make sure your views are heard and not changed by following these guidelines.

Click here to download guidelines

Another Application

There has been another application this week. This time from Steelend Farm, for 6 x 19.36m Turbines.

This is how the map is now looking:

Click here to view in Google Maps

Group fears landowners are pushing turbine envelope north of Dunfermline - The Courier

An environmental protection group has expressed its fears that developers seem to be engaged in a "race to profit" from setting up wind turbines in an area deemed unsuitable for their use.

SPOT Fife says it has serious concerns about the number of wind turbine applications coming forward for a zone north of Dunfermline, which has already been earmarked by Fife Council as unsuitable due to the area's high landscape value.

The comments came after a further two developerssubmitted proposals in the last week, adding to an already high number apparently in the pipeline.

http://www.thecourier.co.uk/News/Fife/article/13602/group-fears-landowners-are-pushing-turbine-envelope-north-of-dunfermline.html

Windfarms paid cash to switch off - bbc.co.uk

Six Scottish windfarms were each paid up to £300,000 to switch off their turbines due to excessive supply, it emerges.

The turbines, at a range of sites across Scotland, were stopped because the grid network could not absorb all the energy they generated.

Details of the payments emerged following research by the Renewable Energy Foundation (REF).

The REF said energy companies were paid £900,000 to halt the turbines for several hours between 5 and 6 April.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/em/fr/-/news/uk-scotland-13253876