29 September 2008
The world's largest tidal power farm could be built in Scotland and Northern Ireland, following successful testing of the technology.ScottishPower Renewables has announced plans to install up to 60 turbines in three locations, to generate 60 megawatts (MW) – enough to power 40,000 homes.The Lanstrom tidal devices rest on the sea floor on three legs and have blades that are 20 metres long.They turn at least ten metres below the surface and are "predictable" because of the regularity of tides.According to ScottishPower Renewables director Keith Anderson, the Pentland Firth – one of the three sites – has enough tidal power to meet one third of Scotland's energy needs....
Scottish Power unveils plans to serve 40,000 homes with tidal energy (click here)
Proposed £100m project will be the largest of its type in the world
Tom Young, BusinessGreen, 29 Sep 2008
Scottish Power today confirmed that it is looking at three coastal sites for the development of the world's largest tidal power project, valued at £100m.
The company said the three sites – two in Scotland and one in Northern Ireland – will each install up to 20 Lànstrøm tidal turbines that have been specially developed by Hammerfest Strøm AS, a company jointly owned by ScottishPower Renewables, StatoilHydro and Hammerfest Energi.
The rapid technological advancement of tidal power has enabled the company to accelerate its marine renewables plans, according to Keith Anderson, director of Scottish Power Renewables....
Study eases fear about wind farm threat to birds (click here)
Tue Sep 30, 2008 9:01pm EDT
LONDON (Reuters) - Wind turbines do not drive birds from surrounding areas, British researchers said on Wednesday, in findings which could make it easier to build more wind farms.
Conservation groups have raised fears that large birds could get caught in the turbines and that the structures could disturb other species.
But scientists found only one of the 23 species studied, the pheasant, was affected during their survey of two wind farms in eastern England.
The findings published in the Journal of Applied Ecology could help government and business efforts to boost the number of wind farms as a way to increase production of renewable energy.
"This is the first evidence suggesting that the present and future location of large numbers of wind turbines on European farmland is unlikely to have detrimental effects on farmland birds," Mark Whittingham, whose team from Newcastle University carried out the research, said in a statement....
