Campaigners call for Aberdeenshire councillors to reject Hill of Fare Windfarm
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Hill of Fare Windfarm Information Group (HofWIG) has warned that without a Public Inquiry (PI), the proposed controversial Hill of Fare Windfarm is inevitable.
The community action group has raised concerns over disinformation surrounding the project located near Banchory and its role in decarbonisation and the future energy mix.
The only way a PI can be called is if Aberdeenshire Council objects to the proposal, with a majority of councillors opposing the development.
To date, every proposed windfarm project in Scotland without a PI has been approved.
HoFWIG has raised multiple concerns surrounding the proposed development, which would see offshore-scale turbines 180 - 200 metres high installed on the hill, over twice the height of Big Ben. Putting this in local context, Aberdeen’s Marischal College tower is only 72 metres tall.
HofWIG campaigner and local resident, Alan Chesterman, explains that aside from the scale of the turbines themselves, there are many ways that this proposed windfarm will not directly benefit the local community that have not been made clear by the developer.
He said: “Existing wind farms produce more power than Scotland can use, the excess is exported to England.
“The fact is, power from Hill of Fare and other new wind farms will increase transmission to southern England, a process with its own challenges due to limitation of the existing grid system and necessitating extensive new pylon infrastructure over hundreds of miles.
“And because power from Hill of Fare won’t decarbonise Scottish electricity, the environmental impact of building on peatland will increase carbon emissions. The facts have not been clearly conveyed to the local communities that will be impacted.”
Existing windfarms are frequently generating more power than can be exported.
This means that operators are being paid to shut off turbines. Indeed, of the £307.2 million total for the whole of Britain, the National Grid Electricity System Operator (National Grid ESO) paid a record £275.3 million to a total of 86 Scottish generators in 2023, not to generate wind.
Mr Chesterman added: “We are calling on people to continue to lobby their councillors to object to the proposal.
“They can also submit their own objections directly to the Energy Consents Unit (ECU).
“To date, 1500 written objections to the Hill of Fare windfarm have been lodged to the ECU and six community councils stand against the development.
“We entreat our councillors to listen to the local communities and the professional experts and oppose this windfarm.
“I encourage anyone interested in finding out more, to get in touch with HofWIG and to attend our upcoming public meetings.”
