Ice-Cream Mogul Calls for GBP 10m Wind Power
Investment
Sep 16 - Scotsman, The
By Frank Urquhart
THE founder of Scotland's biggest independent ice-cream firm yesterday urged
Britain's farmers and landowners to unite in forming the country's biggest
windpower company.
Dr Maitland Mackie, the chairman of Mackies of Scotland, said they could
seize the lion's share of a potential GBP 270 billion renewable energy
jackpot.
With start-up funding of GBP 10 million, Dr Mackie believes that within 12
years the new company would be capable of developing enough renewable energy
projects to match and even surpass the 85 gigawatts of electricity already
being produced by renewable energy companies in Britain.
The Aberdeenshire businessman said: "Farmers and landowners are missing out
on a colossal opportunity to be principal players in electricity generation
through land-based wind power.
"At the moment, they are giving it away to the City and big financiers.
Landowners, farmers and others in rural areas need to get our act together
before the City and big business steal our show."
Dr Mackie, whose company recently invested GBP 2.5 million in three wind
generators to fully power its farming and ice-cream manufacturing
operations, said he was looking for 10,000 farmers and landowners throughout
the UK, including 1,000 in Scotland, to back the scheme by investing a
minimum of GBP 1,000 in a new limited liability company.
As part of the agreement, they will also give the company first call on
suitable sites for wind generators.
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