President's Blog - 10 March 2010
Just home from a very successfull 24hr visit to the glorious Isle of Arran. Having been unable to visit the Island on at least one previous attempt over the winter due to the weather, I was delighted to have completed the visit this week in fabulous spring sunshine and flat calm seas.
The temperature proved warm enough to attract at least one fertiliser spreader out of hibernation, and with other people ploughing, it was a scene of spring work like I haven't yet seen on the mainland this year!
Driving to the ferry on Tuesday morning through Europe's largest windfarm on Fenwick Moor, the forest of turbines were standing idle, as the wind failed to blow. This has been the case for much of the year so far, and recent figures suggest that despite the potential we have in Scotland to harness wind energy, the contribution from the sector has been pitiful in 2010.
On Arran, in contrast, despite the "calm" conditions, I visited several farms where wind turbines would have been spinning freely had they been there. Even a still day on Arran provides a wind of around 5 m/s. ( meters per second)
A very successfull evening meeting in the Kinloch House at Bridgewater Foot followed the day of visits, and five new members were signed up on the night.
Thanks to Arran for the hospitality, and the provision of such fabulous weather!
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Comments
Arran visit by J M on 15 April 2010 10:18
Re Jim's recent Arran visit, just goes to prove how stretched the old grey cells can be. He was at Blackwaterfoot, not Bridgewater Foot. Almost as difficult to take in as transport derogations, dispensations, tachographs for pickups - 50kms or 100kms,(?) and all other euro speak which incorporates as much logic as relying on wind turbines on a calm day...... (Jim is welcome back to Arran any day)