RIP Barvas Moor Windfarm

The Scottish Executive has announced the decision that the Lewis Wind Power project for the development of up to 181 turbines on Barvas Moor in the Western Isles' Isle of Lewis will not go ahead.

Unsurprisingly, the antis are jubilant. They're not letting the decision get in the way of the self-righteous NIMBY dance: saying "we're in favour of windfarms, but just not in this particular special case".

The pros are obviously crestfallen, with the decision not to go ahead likely to sound the deathknell (again) for the Arnish yard, as well as for economic development in the Western Isles. No Barvas Moor probably also means no interconnector for other wind (and wave) projects, limiting development potential for the Isles.

An opportunity tragically missed, in our view, as this was one of the few areas where the Western Isles geographic position - in the area with second densest natural energy flux on the planet - could offer a rare developmental advantage.

Scottish election result determined by Lewis windfarm shock!

So, it seems that the Scottish election has just been conceded by Labour to the Scottish National Party, with the SNP taking 47 seats, and the Labour party 46.

The interesting part here is that the (now former) Western Isles MSP, Alasdair Morrison, said that he supported the proposed Barvas Moor windfarm whereas his SNP opponent said that he supported a local referendum on the windfarm. The seat swung to the SNP (with 687 votes determining the outcome). So if 344 people voted on the basis of the windfarm, that was the determining factor in the Government of Scotland for the next 4 years.

Let's hope Alex Salmond can do a decent job, and can find ways to drive renewables forward north of the border without having to cut other expenditure or raise taxes too much!