Trump stumped by Aberdeen Bay Wind Farm project

Donald Trump’s third appeal against planning permission for the Aberdeen Bay Wind Farm in Scotland has been rejected in a unanimous decision made by the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom. It is hoped that the project, which includes eleven offshore wind turbines and has been labeled as a “vital development at a time of

Donald Trump’s third appeal against planning permission for the Aberdeen Bay Wind Farm in Scotland has been rejected in a unanimous decision made by the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom. It is hoped that the project, which includes eleven offshore wind turbines and has been labeled as a “vital development at a time of rock bottom oil prices”, will now go ahead as planned.

 

donald trump rally
A Donald Trump rally in Alabama, USA. He is due to face other Republican Party candidates for the 2016 US presidential elections in primaries from February to June 2016 © Julie Dermansky/Corbis

 

The story begins in 2006 when Trump controversially acquired the Menie Estate north of Aberdeen, with plans to build what is now known as the Trump International Golf Links, a hotel and golf course. Plans for the wind farm had already begun by then and the billionaire presidential hopeful was fast to let the world know, “I am not thrilled, I want to see the ocean, I do not want to see windmills.” Since then he has appealed to the Scottish courts three times, recently claiming that he would “continue to fight the proposal on every possible front.” Part of this multi-front war includes attacks directed at former Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond, the UK animal welfare charity RSPCA, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) and even the concept of wind turbines in general.

 

Three years ago, at the time of his first appeal, Trump wrote to Salmond asking, “Do you want to be known for centuries to come as ‘Mad Alex’- the man who destroyed Scotland?”. These attacks have been followed by claims that the Scottish Government is dominated by a “foolish, small-minded and parochial mentality”, that “history will judge those involved unfavorably” and that the project will be a “monstrous” blight on the coastal landscape.

 

offshore wind farm
An offshore wind farm © Cameron Davidson/Corbis

 

Trump’s war with the ASA and Scottish government took an unexpected turn in 2013 when he commissioned an advert with the caption “welcome to Scotland” over a picture of a large dilapidated wind farm. The advert was eventually banned after it was revealed that the picture was actually part of a decommissioned wind farm in the US state of Hawaii. In this same advert Trump remained true to his offensive style by linking Alex Salmond to convicted Libyan terrorist Abdelbaset al-Megrahi and claiming the turbines were “inefficient”, “bird killing” and “Chinese made”. Soon after this the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) approved the project, leading him to claim that, “their name should be changed to RSKB – Royal Society for the Killing of Birds”.

 

trump advert
An advert part of Trump’s smear campaign

 

It appears that Trump is still “not thrilled” by the idea of a wind farm ruining the view from his multi-million pound golf course and claims from the Scottish government, the RSPCA and even WWF, who recently announced the result of the appeal as “great news for Scotland and for all those interested in tackling climate change and creating jobs”, have done little to alleviate his concerns. One can only hope that he take the advice of WWF Scotland Director Lang Banks and “move on” after “having failed in his attempt to undermine Scotland’s renewables ambitions,” also in light of the Scottish government’s commitment to largely decarbonise its electricity sector by 2030.

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