Wind power dilemma for Lewis (BBC) {Not In My Peat Bog}

[eppur_se_muova]

By Paul Rincon
Science reporter, BBC News, Stornoway

Lewis, the most northerly island in the Hebrides, is home to one of the largest peatland habitats left in Europe.

The blanket bog occupies thousands of hectares, forming an environment of waterlogged splendour that supports dozens of rare bird and insect species.

For the inhabitants of Lewis, particularly the crofters whose system for working this land dates to Medieval times, the peatlands are the living heart of this island.

But its traditional economies are in terminal decline and council leaders warn that the numbers of young people leaving in search of better prospects on the mainland are fuelling a demographic crisis.

Some believe the way forward for Lewis lies in making use of one of its untapped natural resources: the wind. Three wind farms have been proposed for Lewis, with the collective potential to generate more than 1,000 megawatts of electricity.
***
more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/5205430.stm