Turbines are home grown
was reported in May that wind farm operators had been paid more than £217 million in the last five years to turn their turbines off in Scotland.
World Wildlife Fund Scotland director Lang Banks has called for improvements to the National Grid to increase its storage capacity. He SCOTLAND has a long history with wind turbines.
The first “windmill” used to generate electricity is said to have been built by Professor James Blyth of Anderson’s College, Glasgow, in July 1885.
Blyth, whose studies included electrical problems concerning the telephone and microphone, was said to have believed passionately in the future of wind energy, making him a pioneer.
The professor experimented with three turbine designs, the last of which is said to have powered his Scottish home for 25 years.
However, it wasn’t until 1991 that the UK’s first onshore wind farm was opened in Delabole, Cornwall.
It consisted of 10 turbines and was able to produce enough energy for 2700 homes.
Scotland’s first wind farm wasn’t built until November 1995 when the Hagshaw Hill wind farm was constructed.
Originally it consisted of 26 turbines but an extension granted in 2006 saw 20 new turbines constructed by 2008.
Today, the largest onshore wind farm in Scotland is the Whitelee facility near Eaglesham in East Renfrewshire.
When it was completed in May 2009 it had 140 turbines.
However, an extension to the site in 2013 saw that figure rise to 215 turbines and a total capacity of 539 MW.
In August 2012, Whitelee’s owner – Scottish Power Renewables – submitted an application to extend the site even further.
If given a go-ahead, it will see a further five turbines added to the existing site, upping its generating capacity by up to 12MW.