Archived press release

FOE welcomes UK's first wind turbine factory

19 June 2001

'Swords into ploughshares' as military base becomes renewable energy plant

Friends of the Earth today warmly welcomed the announcement by the Scottish Executive and Danish firm Vestas Wind Systems of the UK's first commercial scale wind turbine plant. Opening next year with an initial 100 new jobs on the former Machrihanish NATO Air Base near Campbeltown on the Mull of Kintyre, the factory will manufacture wind turbines and towers for the rapidly expanding UK and Irish renewable energy markets.

Mark Johnston, Energy Campaigner at Friends of the Earth said:

“This is excellent news. Although the UK has the largest wind resource in the whole of Europe it has fallen behind other countries in developing clean green energy. This new investment in 21st century technology is a big vote of confidence in the UK renewables market, a tremendous boost to jobs in the energy and engineering sectors and a substantial long term benefit to the environment.

“Renewable energy is vital in the fight against dangerous climate change and the need to use less coal, oil and gas. Developments such as the new Vestas plant demonstrate that the UK and Europe is serious about making the Kyoto Protocol work, with or without the United States. As we approach the international climate conference in Bonn next month, Tony Blair and John Prescott must stand firm with the European Union to provide the global leadership that is essential to get the agreement ratified and into force next year.

[1] As of March, Britain has around 800 grid-connected wind turbines generating electricity at 60 sites. Presently, all new turbines are imported, mostly from Denmark and Germany. In April, new projects were unveiled which will add a further 500-600 turbines at 18 offshore sites, representing an investment of over £1500 million and providing enough power for more than one million homes.

More info:
www.britishwindenergy.co.uk and www.offshorewindfarms.co.uk

[2] The Utilities Act 2000 will shortly lead to the introduction of a 'Renewables Obligation' on electricity suppliers requiring them to increase year by year the proportion of renewable energy they supply to customers. The Government has set a target of 10% of all power generation to be from renewable sources by 2010, but was last year criticised by a Parliamentary Committee who said that in the face of climate change the target was not enough and should be doubled.

[3] Vestas announcement: www.vestas.com/nyheder/presse/2001/UK/fond20010618_UK.html
& Scottish Executive annoucement: www.scotland.gov.uk/news/2001/06/se1472.asp

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Published by Friends of the Earth Trust