The Lewis Wind Farm Renewable Energy and the Sustainability of Scotland’s Fragile Rural Communities

The Lewis Economy The fragility of the Lewis economy is reflected in all key indicators: Population and age, in- migration, unemployment, income, narrowness of industrial base & GVA Lewis requires sustainable economic development Refusal of the wind farm application will create a precedent to inhibit important development and sterilize large areas of Scotland – often the most economically fragile parts of the country

The Opportunity: Renewable Energy and Employment Scotland possesses 25% of the total European wind energy resource In Scotland, 2,600 people are currently employed across all renewables sectors – wind energy alone employs 73,800 people in Germany, 35,000 in Spain & 21,000 in Denmark Scotland, a small open economy on the periphery of Europe, simply cannot afford to continue disregarding its comparative advantages

Lewis Wind Farm Represents a major employment opportunity for a fragile island economy Crucially, in providing clean energy, the project will make a substantial contribution to tackling climate change STUC tends to treat developer claims of employment creation with a healthy scepticism – however, we are convinced by the quality of the Lewis Windpower project

The Economic Contribution Manufacturing & Construction phase: Repower and construction consortium MoUs; Over 50 local fabrication jobs; 44 FTE jobs in Scotland during construction; 170 FTE jobs in Outer Hebrides Operational phase: 40 local operation & maintenance jobs; 30 local supply chain jobs; Rents, crofter payments and community fund contributions, totalling over £5m per annum; 15% community ownership offered

Biodiversity protection and economic needs Services, manufacturing and sustainable growth in a peripheral economy Urgent need for green electricity on a large-scale Trade-offs between economic development and environmental imperatives are inevitable and must be addressed in an honest fashion – but finding a workable balance is possible A new, mature approach to Better Regulation is desperately required

Stephen Boyd, Scottish Trades Union Congress