A SCOTTISH coal-fired power station is one of Europe’s top polluters, according to environmentalists who claim the plant’s emissions affect the health of people for hundreds of miles around. Longannet in Kincardine, run by ScottishPower, was highlighted by international group the Health and Environment Alliance (Heal) in a document produced Read more
An industry takeover deal involving two wind turbine companies has prompted renewed optimism that a solution can be found to a long-standing problem involving failed community power schemes. The Scottish government, through Community Energy Scotland, has invested millions of pounds of public money in 19 small wind farm projects across Read more
TWO giant wind turbines nearly twice as tall as the Wallace Monument could bring a £587,000 windfall to Crossgates if given the go-ahead. More than 50 residents turned out for an information day on the project, organised by Airvolution Energy Ltd at the village’s community centre, recently. The firm is Read more
HIS name strikes fear into the hearts of opponents of wind farm developments. Paul Griffiths, a planning appeals official who is nicknamed “Inspector Blight”, has granted permission to developers to erect turbines in almost every case he has heard. His rulings in favour of wind farm developers have continued even Read more
The UK’s largest coal-fired power station – Drax in Yorkshire – plans to convert half of its boilers to run on biomass in a bid to cut carbon emissions by 80%. UK energy secretary Ed Davey today opened the £700 million Drax coal-to-biomass conversion plant project which will see three Read more
Demand for wind turbines on remote Scottish sites remains strong despite a 5% cut in subsidies for onshore wind developments, claims a leading consultant. According to Gordon Stewart, head of renewables at property management firm Bidwells, wind developers will continue to seek out potential Scottish sites and leasing out land Read more
The Ministry of Defence and the animal charity RSPB Scotland have withdrawn objections to plans to create the biggest wind farm in Angus. Eurowind wants to create a 17-turbine development to power up to 28,400 homes at the Careston Estate, near Brechin. The MoD had said the plans could interfere Read more
A quick recipe for producing hydrogen by speeding up a chemical reaction that occurs in rocks holds out the promise of abundant clean energy in the future, experts believe. Researchers added aluminium to the natural “serpentinisation” process and found they could liberate hydrogen up to 50 times faster. Scaling up Read more