University aims to end £5.4m-a-year power bill - with its own wind farm

Published on Thursday 2 June 2011 16:46

SCOTLAND'S oldest university is hoping to become the first higher education institution in the country to generate all its power through its own wind farm.

After a three-year investigation and scientific study of wind levels in Fife, St Andrews University yesterday submitted an application for planning permission for the farm, which would be built on farmland six miles from the town.

Under the proposals submitted to Fife Council, six medium-sized turbines would be built on university-owned land at Kenly Farm, near Boarhills. It is hoped the turbines would generate enough power to feed the entire campus - and thereby combat rising energy costs, which the university says costs the equivalent of 120 staff members a year.

If the bid is successful, the 600-year-old institution will be the first university to create such a power source in Scotland.

Local communities at Boar-hills, Dunino and Kingsbarns have been consulted at length over the plans.

An initial suggestion to build four large turbines was rejected after local concerns, in favour of six medium-sized ones.

And a form of community fund will be created to ensure the local villages also share in the benefits.

The university sees the proposal as a key part of its strategy to offset what it described as the "punitive" national costs of energy.

St Andrews claims that, despite reducing energy consumption in recent years, rising national and international costs of energy have seen its bills triple since 2005 to 5.4 million a year.

Derek Watson, quaestor and factor of the university, said: "This increase in costs is equivalent to the salaries of up to 120 full-time staff at St Andrews and is a major financial risk for us. Doing nothing is not an option. We would prefer to determine our own financial fate than have it determined for us by the vagaries of international energy markets.

"Our consumption is on a flat line, but we are being charged more and more for it."

He added: "We are encouraged by the Scottish Government's commitment to renewables and fortunate that we can respond positively to it."

After long-term monitoring of wind speeds at Kenly, the university believes it is possible to generate enough electricity to meet the needs of its energy- intensive scientific operations.

The renewable energy generated at Kenly, the site of an abandoned Second World War airbase, would be equivalent to the average annual consumption of 8,500 typical domestic properties in Fife.

An environmental impact assessment, submitted as part of the planning application, includes data on potential noise, ecology, radar and aviation, and construction and traffic impacts, as well as an examination of the possible positive and negative effects of the wind farm on archaeology, cultural heritage and economic and tourism aspects.

A survey carried out among people attending public meetings in Boarhills and Kingsbarns in 2010 reported that 46 per cent of people were in favour of the planned development, and 36 per cent were against.

Robin Harper, former leader of the Scottish Green Party, welcomed the proposed project.

"This is absolutely marvellous news," he said. "It's great that one of the leading universities is promoting good practice.

"It's very encouraging and a great example to other universities, and colleges for that matter, to follow.

"I'm very pleased to see that they have taken this step."