The chairman of ice cream manufacturer Mackies of Scotland has unveiled proposals for farmers and landowners in Britain to form their own wind development company. Farmers and landowners have been urged to support a new multi-million pound wind generation scheme, being set up by Aberdeenshire farmer and agri-businessman, Dr. Maitland Mackie.
At the launch Monday on the family farm in Rothienorman, Dr. Mackie challenged 10,000 farmers to back the scheme by investing a minimum of ￡1000 in a new limited liability company. The new ￡10 million company, currently using the working name Rural Sector Wingen, would have first call on investor’s sites identified as suitable for wind turbines. Dr. Mackie said rural communities are in danger of missing out on a “colossal opportunity” from wind energy generation, and could be left with only “crumbs” as big business profits from the thousands of wind turbines being installed across the UK.
With a total investment of some ￡270 bn over the next 12 years, he said the company would become Europe’s largest energy company, generating 90 gigawatts of electricity into the National Grid from 90,000 three-megawatt wind generators (wingens.) It would also have first call on suitable sites for wind generators. “I view this as a huge opportunity for the whole rural community to share in the massive profits which renewable energy is already delivering to big business,” Dr. Mackie said.
“The buy-in” by farmers, landowners and other rural dwellers will allow profits to be delivered back to rural communities in share dividends, rather than into the hands of City entrepreneurs. It is also hoped to offer early rural investors substantive discounts on their electricity usage.
“Landowners, farmers and others in rural areas need to get our act together – fast – before City and big business steal our show,” says Mackie. Farmers forming part of the company could see a ￡15,000 income from hosting a single 3MW wind turbine, under the proposals.
Mackies of Scotland has already installed three 850kW wind turbines to power its own farming and ice cream production operations at Westertown, near Rothienorman in Aberdeenshire. The ￡2.5 million wind farm uses V52 turbines from Danish-owned manufacturer Vestas, with 50% of the power sold via the national grid to Good Energy, the scheme brings in ￡1,200 worth of electricity on a windy day according to Mackies.
If Britain’s 90,000 farmers got behind the project, theoretically Wingen could bring online 90,000 wind generation schemes with turbines boasting a combined 270GW rating, according to the proposals. Over 10 years, that would see 9,000 turbines installed a year – around ￡9 billion worth of turbine systems – according to Mackies.
Dr. Mackie said the project could also benefit urban communities in depressed industrial areas if manufacturing companies can be attracted to locations like Clydeside, Tyneside and Teesside.
http://newenergyfocus.com/do/ecco.py/view_item?listid=1&listcatid=32&listitemid=1694§ion=Wind
At the launch Monday on the family farm in Rothienorman, Dr. Mackie challenged 10,000 farmers to back the scheme by investing a minimum of ￡1000 in a new limited liability company. The new ￡10 million company, currently using the working name Rural Sector Wingen, would have first call on investor’s sites identified as suitable for wind turbines. Dr. Mackie said rural communities are in danger of missing out on a “colossal opportunity” from wind energy generation, and could be left with only “crumbs” as big business profits from the thousands of wind turbines being installed across the UK.
With a total investment of some ￡270 bn over the next 12 years, he said the company would become Europe’s largest energy company, generating 90 gigawatts of electricity into the National Grid from 90,000 three-megawatt wind generators (wingens.) It would also have first call on suitable sites for wind generators. “I view this as a huge opportunity for the whole rural community to share in the massive profits which renewable energy is already delivering to big business,” Dr. Mackie said.
“The buy-in” by farmers, landowners and other rural dwellers will allow profits to be delivered back to rural communities in share dividends, rather than into the hands of City entrepreneurs. It is also hoped to offer early rural investors substantive discounts on their electricity usage.
“Landowners, farmers and others in rural areas need to get our act together – fast – before City and big business steal our show,” says Mackie. Farmers forming part of the company could see a ￡15,000 income from hosting a single 3MW wind turbine, under the proposals.
Mackies of Scotland has already installed three 850kW wind turbines to power its own farming and ice cream production operations at Westertown, near Rothienorman in Aberdeenshire. The ￡2.5 million wind farm uses V52 turbines from Danish-owned manufacturer Vestas, with 50% of the power sold via the national grid to Good Energy, the scheme brings in ￡1,200 worth of electricity on a windy day according to Mackies.
If Britain’s 90,000 farmers got behind the project, theoretically Wingen could bring online 90,000 wind generation schemes with turbines boasting a combined 270GW rating, according to the proposals. Over 10 years, that would see 9,000 turbines installed a year – around ￡9 billion worth of turbine systems – according to Mackies.
Dr. Mackie said the project could also benefit urban communities in depressed industrial areas if manufacturing companies can be attracted to locations like Clydeside, Tyneside and Teesside.
http://newenergyfocus.com/do/ecco.py/view_item?listid=1&listcatid=32&listitemid=1694§ion=Wind
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