The blackout may have been caused by the unexpected shutdowns of the Hornsea offshore wind farm, which is owned by the Danish wind farm company Orsted, and the Little Barford gas-fired power plant, owned by German utility giant RWE. National Grid data showed both of the generators dropped from the grid at around the same time. ...“We would have expected the system to cope with this size of loss of generation,” an Enappsys spokesman said. “This implies that there may have been [other] issues at the time of the trips.”

Offshore Wind Safety UK

“Today what happened is a major offshore wind generation site and a gas turbine failed at the same time,” said Devrim Celal, chief executive officer of Upside Energy in London, which contracts with National Grid to help balance electricity. “There was a significant shortage of generation, and that sudden drop created ripple effects across the country.”

Impact on People UK

Electricity bills could double to bail out new wind farms that have massively underestimated their operating costs, a former adviser to the World Bank has claimed. Two offshore wind projects secured contracts to supply renewable energy at reduced costs in 2017 and it was hailed the result of huge strides made in technology and engineering, sparking hopes of a green jobs boom.

Impact on Economy Offshore Wind UK

Skilled workers are relying on food banks to survive as the contract for a £2 billion wind farm off the coast of Scotland looks set to go overseas.

Offshore Wind UK

Having fought against onshore wind development being forced on unwilling communities for many years, support is not what I hear when I speak to rural citizens facing yet another wealthy multinational determined to spear industrial hardware into their environment.

Impact on People UK

Freedom of information statistics obtained from the Health and Safety Executive show there have been 81 cases where workers have been injured on the UK’s windfarms since the start of 2014. ...Per year,  there were 22 incidents reported in 2014, 17 in 2015, 24 in 2016, three in 2017, 14 in 2018 and only one reported so far this year.

Safety Injury UK

Prospect, the union which covers much of the sector, has found a 30% drop in renewable energy jobs between 2014 and 2017, as government cuts to incentives and support schemes started to bite. It also found investment in renewables in the UK more than halved between 2015 and 2017.

Impact on Economy UK

A plan for 12 giant turbines next to the scenic Rhinns of Kells Range has sparked fierce debate. Galloway has dozens of windfarms already. Controversy over their construction has often blown over amid an acceptance of the need for clean green energy.

General UK

Plans for 12 turbines as tall as 250 miles would be "horrendous" according to Gatehouse and District Walking Group

General UK

The feed-in-tariff was designed to support small-scale onshore renewable projects, but was scrapped at the end of last month. Now Mountwest has applied to the council to extend the duration of their planning permission in an effort to find alternative funding.

General UK

The Beatrice Offshore Wind Farm project has been reprimanded by officials after it allowed a ship to “steam” through North Sea fishing grounds.

Impact on Wildlife UK

A verbal agreement had been reached between the seven community councils in Teviot and Liddesdale over division of the community benefit fund, set up after approval was given for the 12-turbine Pines Burn wind farm near Bonchester Bridge. That fund, believed to be worth up to £120,000 a year for the next 25 years, was to be divided equally between the community councils, with Hobkirk set to get a double share because of its proximity to the development.

General UK

“Turbines are magnets for lightning which is why they are fitted with conductors to transfer the energy to the ground but they can  cause significant damage. Blades can explode; generators and control system electronics can incinerate. “The repair of lightning damage can be dangerous and expensive.

Offshore Wind Safety Structural Failure UK

But in November, energy, planning and rural affairs secretary Ms Griffiths decided to give the turbines the go-ahead. Although she accepted the wind farm would have "a significant impact" on the monuments, she disagreed with the inspector's conclusions. Focusing on the pressing need for on-shore renewable energy sources, she said there were "exceptional circumstances" justifying the development.

General UK

I am starting to wonder if a mystery noise around our house which drove us mad for months comes from the same box of tricks as wind farm turbines. A public petition raised in Scotland is trying to force the UK Government to investigate claims mysterious acoustic activity around wind farms is making people ill.

Impact on People Noise UK

A Galloway resident has launched a petition calling for the full health implications of wind farms to be investigated before any more are built. Paul Swift said: “Thousands of people are living within 20 kilometres (12 miles) of a wind turbine and they may be suffering from health issues created by “infrasound.”

Impact on People Noise UK

The Watson family, whose links to minister Nomvula Mokonyane were exposed during explosive testimony at the Zondo Commission on State Capture, want to build a controversial wind farm in the Eastern Cape. And the minister on whose decision their plans depend is … Mokonyane.

General UK

The Scottish Government has vowed to convene a summit after issues over fairness were exposed in the Moray East offshore wind farm contract procurement process. It comes after troubled Scottish firm Burntisland Fabrication (BiFab) was overlooked in favour of two foreign rivals.

General UK

Mr and Mrs Milne did not object to the development, as they were never given notice of them during the planning process. But the couple – who had considered building their own turbine on the land by their home – became so fed up with the noise that they complained to the council, and after being unsatisfied with the impact the noise notice issued, decided to go to Aberdeen Sheriff Court to get their own order.

Impact on People Legal UK

Residents have vowed to fight plans for a major windfarm in a designated regional scenic area near Teviothead. Community Windpower revealed plans last year for a 45-turbine wind farm to straddle the Borders-Dumfries and Galloway border at Faw Side.

General UK