Christians on the Scottish island of Iona are warning their spiritual haven is being threatened by plans to build a windfarm just off the coast.
They say the plan for at least 91 turbines, each more than a thousand feet (335 metres) tall, would be highly visible and impact the region, which is a renowned place of pilgrimage and retreat. It would be located within 6 miles of Colonsay, 10 miles of Islay, and 13 miles of Mull and Iona.
The islanders have less than a week left to object. Ruth Harvey, who leads the Iona Community, told Premier Christian News: “It's not just Christians who are opposing this. There's a huge public swell across the globe opposing this particular wind farm. We understand the paradox because as a Christian community, we absolutely agree that the rapid transition away from fossil fuels is an act of repentance and restoration to which we are fully committed.
“There's a profound moral and spiritual mandate for this, and we recognise ‘nimbyism’, and refusing or needlessly delaying a renewable project out of pure convenience or aesthetics is a luxury that the Earth just can't afford.”
But she added that while they support the “just transition to renewable energy, we do believe, as a Christian community, and as a human community, that true justice can't be achieved by sacrificing local ecological and human communities”.
Scottish Power Renewables has told Premier its proposed MachairWind site is a "vital green energy project" which would deliver benefits to the islands. It could generate enough electricity to power the equivalent of up to two million homes.
However, those opposed to the plans claim there hasn’t been enough consultation with residents on Iona and neighbouring islands.
Iona, Colonsay and Oronsay are home to religious communities dating back 1500 years, with pilgrims flocking to the area for stillness and tranquility.
Ruth Harvey said this peace would be destroyed by the sight of “over 100 towers taller than the Eiffel Tower. Within sight of Iona Abbey, within sight of the islands of Ulva, Gometra, Mull, Colonsay, Isla, Jura and Oronsay.
“It's about the imposition of a huge industrial landscape on the shores of a particularly world-renowned sacred site”.
Earlier this month, the people of Iona sent a personalised copy of the film Local Hero to Ignacio Sánchez Galán, Executive Chairman of Iberdrola, the parent company of ScottishPower Renewables which is applying to build the MachairWind farm. The film tells the story of the battle between locals on a Scottish island and an energy company over its plans to develop the area.
In a statement to Premier, Kiera Wilson, ScottishPower Renewables' MachairWind Project Lead, said: "MachairWind is a vital green energy project that will deliver more clean power to the grid, strengthen the UK’s energy security and help drive economic growth. We believe it will deliver long and lasting economic and social benefits across the islands, west coast of Scotland and beyond and have carried out extensive work to measure this as part of our consent submission.
"There’s still a lot of detail to be finalised in consultation with various stakeholders – including local communities – but that could mean using a local port for marine operations, supporting local businesses to serve the offshore wind industry, and wider skills, training and employment opportunities that will develop as the project takes shape. We’ll also be setting up a community benefit fund if the projected is consented, shaped by local people for local people.
"We’ve been working with people, communities and businesses across Argyll & Bute for more than 20 years to realise the benefits of clean energy and MachairWind will build on this strong track record to make sure that continues."