GOOD LUCK!

Tomorrow is the big day...

Remember, read the questions carefully, answer the question that you're asked, use the evidence from the booklet to support your answers, allow enough time (1/2 hour) for the decision question...

GOOD LUCK - I know that you will do brilliantly!

Muaitheabhal windfarm gets the go-ahead

Those of you who've had a look at the Moorland Without Turbines website will have seen the news that the 33-turbine Muaitheabhal windfarm on the Isle of Lewis (further south than the 181-turbine proposal that your decision is likely to focus on) was given the go-ahead on 14th January. Here is the press release from the Scottish Parliament...

Year 11 - DME

A few more links...

I am not sure why I didn't have this one - Moorland Without Turbines - on my original list. It is (hopefully obviously!) the website of a group opposed to the development of windfarms on Lewis and the other Western Isles, and there are lots of useful/interesting bits and pieces including photos, media coverage and the group's response to planning consent being granted on 14th January 2010 for the 33 turbine Muaitheabhal windfarm in the south of Lewis. There is also a number of maps detailing the various windfarm projects on Lewis and Harris.

You might also like to have a look at this .pdf document that I've just come across on the Lewis Wind site... The first paragraph of the Executive Summary reads:

The key objective of the study has been to help the Western Isles to deliver economic and community benefit by identifying renewable energy potential, including the role for different scales of energy generation compatible with environmental obligations. A second objective has been to identify other opportunities for sustainable development initiatives across the Western Isles.

At 133 pages, I wouldn't necessarily expect you to read all of it, but there are some interesting points made... (Note that this study was commissioned by Lewis Wind - the company who are proposing the windfarm developments.)

Some of you were asking the other day about crofting... The Scottish Crofting Federation website has lots of photos and a FAQs section.

If you want to know more about peat, then you could do worse than to visit the website of the International Peat Society. Also, this Guardian article looks at the Isle of Lewis crofters who are returning to the old tradition of cutting peat to use as a domestic fuel - and considers the environmental impacts of peat-cutting on the protected peatland areas.

The Explore Scotland site has a range of information about the Outer Hebrides, including a tourist guide with maps of the area and a Lewis Virtual Tour.

Frozen Earth

Not a brilliant response from Year 10 to the snow challenges last week.... However, I was extremely impressed with Grace's effort:

Year 11 - DME

Lots of links here that will be of use/interest:

Energy Gap Links:

Britain facing large energy gap (BBC News article, Nov.05)

Britain 'faces power cuts threat' (BBC News article, Sept. 08)

Energy gap means nuclear power is a must (Telegraph, July 09)

Energy entrepreneurs can plug the gap in our energy supplies (Telegraph, Nov. 09)

Closing the energy gap (Greenpeace/WWF summary paper, Sept. 08)

The Energy Gap (Guide from Sense about Science)

Launch of £100bn wind energy programme (Guardian Jan. 2010)

General Wind Energy Links (how it works, etc.):

Energy Kids - US site explaining how wind energy works, types of turbine, etc.

BBC Video on How Wind Produces Electricity

BBC News - Government sets 2020 renewables targets (video clip)

Pro- Wind Energy Links:

British Wind Energy Association

Yes2Wind

Proven Energy includes energy calculator and allows estimate of energy production

Dept. Energy Wind Speed Database online and downloadable database that links to GIS.

EcoTricity - why wind energy?

Wind Power Works - part of Global Wind Energy Council, various facts & figures, including 12 wind farm case studies from around the world.

Anti- Wind Energy Links:

Fairwind lobby group for Ardnamurchan, Morven and Mull

Isle of Lewis Wind Energy Links:

Lewis Wind

Google map link to Pentland Road Site, Eilean Siar (Isle of Lewis)

BBC News (video clip) about Lewis proposals

BBC News (video clip) about opposition to Lewis proposals

RSPB report about Lewis Windfarm proposals

Scottish Government News Release - decision on Lewis windfarm planning application

Scottish Wildlife Trust - response to planning application decision

Also, some of you were having trouble finding the Teachers' TV video - Electricity for the Future. It's here. I believe that some of you have watched it in Science, but it'll be a useful reminder of how electricity is generated and might provide you with some evidence to support the decision you make in the exam next week.

Year 10 - Worldmapper, Urbanisation and Google searching...

The excellent maps that we started this morning's lesson with are part of Sheffield University Geography Department's Worldmapper project. Click on the image below to go to the website:


I also intended to tell you about the BBC's Urbanisation Interactive, which is part of their Urban Planet In Depth report and is great...

Also check out Google Timeline, Google Wonder Wheel (search as normal, and then click Show Options) and Google Squared...

£100 bn for offshore windfarms

Very timely for the DME is the announcement today of a £100 billion programme to build thousands of offshore windfarms in the seas around the UK.

Couple of articles here that you ought to have a look at:

Guardian
BBC

Good idea? Leave a comment on this post with your thoughts...