What price the

Fierce debate as turbines double in four years

SCOTLAND has thrown up more than one wind turbine every day for four years.

A Sunday Post probe has found there are now 3400 onshore turbines in operation compared with 1657 four years ago.

What’s more, a further 1547 are in the pipeline after they were given planning approval, with many already under construction.

Our revelation comes as it emerged energy companies were paid almost £5.5 million to switch off their turbines in Scotland for one day this summer.

The firms received the cash via “constraint” payments after their stations managed to produce more electricity than Scotland needed over a 24-hour period in August.

The situation has brought into sharp focus the continuing divisions that surround wind farms.

While many environmental groups support the development of turbines to meet the country’s power needs, there are many who feel the proliferation has spun out of control.

Last year, local communities in England were given new powers to veto wind farms. All onshore wind farm applications are dealt with at local level, rather than national authorities dealing with the biggest projects.

Two new “planning tests” were also introduced so councils can only approve wind farms on sites that have been clearly designated as part of any local or neighbourhood plan, and where the proposed project has the backing of the locals.

Anti-wind farm campaigner Lyndsey Ward said the same approach should be taken in Scotland.

She said: “I am concerned with the way community objections are cast aside by the Government and wind industry. Communities should get the wind farm veto that’s given to residents in England.

“Planning is devolved to Holyrood, yet the SNP refuse to give us the same empowerment. They refuse to implement a moratorium on wind development.

“In June, Nicola Sturgeon said it was absolutely right people’s opinions had to be considered in respect of fracking as they were the ones living with it. What about wind?”

A Sunday Post probe in 2012 found there were 1657 on-shore turbines in Scotland. Now, figures released by The Scottish Government reveal that number has risen to 3400.

Many energy firms own wind farms as part of their portfolio of projects.

Scottish Power is one of the biggest owners, with 715 turbines at present in Scotland. Similarly Scottish And Southern Energy owns 475 operational turbines, including those owned via joint ventures.

In the last financial year, onshore wind turbines in Scotland produced 9,532,322 MWh of electricity – the equivalent to the yearly electricity demand of more than two million homes.

Power firms are compensated when the turbines are switched off to avoid overloading the National Grid.

On August 7 the country was blasted by strong winds that saw turbines produce more energy than the grid could handle. As a result they were switched off.

The National Grid has said £5.49m was paid out in wind constraint payments for that day alone. The news comes after it