The Ruined Life of Wind Farms

Plans for one of the biggest offshore wind farms in Europe, Robin Rigg Wind Farm, seems to be broken after experts warned that the Scottish Parliament may have no legal power to give the go-ahead for the project.

The Scottish Parliament?s Robin Rigg Wind Farm Committee is due to take evidence from key players and organisations on a proposed bill in Dumfries today. The bill was the first private bill to be heard in the Scottish Parliament in June this year.

Rising optimism over Scotland?s potential wind-power resources prompted Ross Finnie, the environment minister, to double targets for renewable energy generation, setting a goal of producing 40% of the country's power needs from renewables by 2020.

Robin Rigg wind farm, which will be sited off Auchencairn Bay, near Dalbeattie, could produce between two and three megawatts of electricity for each turbine.

But environment groups and politicians called for immediate clarification on who has the power to legislate on the bill before money and time were wasted on consideration of what may yet prove to be legally invalid.