Dorset Council may go into the windfarm business – with the possibility of turbines on land it owns.

The authority has set aside £5 million in the current financial year for a possible renewable energy venture helping to cut its emissions in line with its climate crisis pledge.

The idea has not been discussed in public or debated at a public council meeting although the figure appeared in this financial year’s budget planning documents.

Despite the lack of public discussion there is widespread support for the idea from the controlling Conservative group as well as the opposition Liberal Democrats, Green Party and Independent councillors.

Dorset Council’s lone Labour councillor, Paul Kimber from Portland, has also welcomed the prospect: “My belief is we must have more natural ways to generate power if we are to become sustainable and responsible for the natural environment in our county.

“I have been concerned that we are not making the best use of our natural resources to generate energy – we can use the wind, sea and solar farms to generate power for our Dorset community.

“Whatever we do we must take along the people of Dorset that may be sceptical about having a wind farm near them” he said.

But Cllr Kimber is also wary that the development of a windfarm, or windfarms, could take acres of council-owned farmland, depriving young farmers of the chance to get a foothold in the industry.

The last time figures were produced Dorset Council had 48 county farms among its portfolio of more than 1,400 assets at 22 different locations across the county.

Also listed were more than a hundred “land parcels”, which include outdoor recreation areas, informal ‘green space’ and gypsy and traveller sites

Said a Council spokesman in response to a query about the £5m possible spend on a windfarm: “The funding has been earmarked as an indication of the council’s on-going commitment to investing in renewable energy in response to climate and ecological change.

“However, no decisions have been taken on a specific investment. If, in the future, opportunities for investment in a wind farm (or any other renewable energy sources) emerge then they will be brought before Cabinet for approval in the usual way.”

Weymouth Green Party councillor Jon Orrell said he would welcome the move: “We (The Greens) are strongly in favour of wind, offshore and onshore. It is the cheapest power on our breezy island. If we embrace wind, we make ourselves immune to oil and gas shocks and price hikes.

“Council land should be made available on lease. We need to learn from other countries where local communities own their own turbines. Then they would be supported and would directly reward neighbouring houses.

“Larger turbines turn more slowly and are safer for birds. In addressing climate breakdown their graceful motion will preserve our natural areas of outstanding beauty.”

Lib Dem group leader on Dorset Council, Cllr Nick Ireland, said it was his party’s position to support wind-powered energy generation.

“LibDem national policy is that onshore / mainland-based wind farms are a necessary factor required to reach carbon neutrality and contribute to trying to avert a possibly human extinction level event.

“Locally, we support onshore and offshore wind farm delivery.  If Dorset Council can enable either wind or solar generation by sustainable use of the substantial amount of land it owns, then bring it on.”

Despite Dorset’s windy spots the county has an obvious conflict over renewable energy generation, especially along the internationally recognised Jurassic Coast and in its many Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty or sites recognised for their scientific of wildlife importance.

 

Rural Dorset currently only has one windfarm of any significance – the Alaska joint venture between energy company Infinergy and the Holme Estate at Masters Quarry near Wareham.

The 8MW £9 million site gained planning consent in 2012 after an initial planning refusal by the former Purbeck District Council, followed by a legal battle which ended at the High Court.

Despite four massive 2MW refurbished turbines being imported from Belgium in December 2021 the site is still not operating, partly because of technical issues over a connection to the National Grid and a global shortage of specialist equipment – although it should have be producing enough power by now to meet the annual demands of more than 5,000 homes.

Work has recently re-started on the bases for the turbine columns and it is hoped that the site will be generating power within the year.

Other Dorset wind power options have included an offshore windfarm in Poole Bay, named Navitus – recently ruled out for re-consideration by the Conservative leaders at Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council, although since then the authority has changed political hands and might, yet, review the option.