Terry Macalister reports on the £4.5bn plan to construct 339 turbines covering 300 square kilometres off Scotland's northern coast, which could potentially power 40% of the country's homes.
Recently submitted for planning permission, the 1.5-gigawatt wind farm to be located more than 12 miles offshore, "is being developed by Moray Offshore Renewables, a joint venture between
Spanish oil company Repsol, and an arm of Portuguese power group EDP,
which has recently become partly owned by China's state-owned Three
Gorges Corporation."
According to Macalister, "The renewable industry has hailed it as a watershed moment but warned
these new deep water farms might only be fully realised if the
government provides policy stability by pushing through its proposed Energy Bill."
Apparently, the wind farm has at least one prominent critic. "It has already attracted controversy because it is opposed by American
billionaire Donald Trump, who says the 200-metre-high turbines will
spoil the view from his planned new golf course."
Read the full story: World's biggest offshore windfarm planned off Scottish coast
Morro Bay Could be Home to West Coast's First Offshore Wind Farm
If a Seattle company gets its way, in a few years there will be 100 floating wind turbines about 15 miles off San Luis Obispo County on the central California coast, generating about 1 gigawatt of electricity.
Trump Huffs and Puffs about Scottish Offshore Wind Project
Donald Trump says he will sue to prevent the construction of an offshore wind farm that government officials claim will boost the local economy and meet half of residential energy needs in Aberdeen, Scotland.
Offshore Wind Power Projects Face Financial Headwind
As offshore wind projects along the East Coast stall, so do the country’s emissions reduction goals.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
California plans to bury El Niño’s downpour
If the state plays its cards right, it may be able to store a billion acre-feet of El Niño’s water in aquifers.
Desperate measures: Advocates weigh draining Lake Powell to fill Colorado River
Draining the reservoir could reduce evaporation losses by a couple hundred thousand acre-feet.
Housing is the top priority of Seattle’s sole new councilmember
Jenks campaigned on building 1,000 new units of affordable housing.
New tax cuts may slash $1.5 billion in funding for Miami transit, public parks
Amendment 3 will save Miami-Dade homeowners $2,700 in 2028.
Arizona, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania hope to finally advance climate goals post-midterms
The three states have spent years under Republican or divided control.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
City of Rosemead
Rutgers University, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
One Hundred Miles
University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS)
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
City of Cambridge
Montrose County
The Pocatello Development Authority