The next time you bump into someone from Cubico, you might find it interesting to see how they answer any of the following questions.

If you do not know the answer to any of these yourself (some are harder than others) you can find them on the pages of this website. The search box should make it easy.

If you can think of some other questions please add in the comments (if you are a registered member of the group) or send via our contact form.

As usual please help us by sharing with family and friends.

Q. How many homes will the wind farm power when the wind is not blowing?

This is a classic but still valid question. There is only one answer.

Q. Is the existing wind farm’s 2023 turnover of £36.4m and profit of £26.5m morally acceptable?

The figures quoted in this question lead to a gross profit margin of 74% putting the wind farm in the same class as high margin industries, those achieving gross profits above 50%. Such businesses typically include software, pharmaceuticals and luxury goods. Put another way, why is it so expensive to save the planet? We don’t know how much money Cubico would make because they have refused to divulge the full range of renewable support schemes they will take advantage of but we can be sure they will take advantage of every option for public support available.

Q. How much does an average household pay per annum to support renewable energy, both directly and indirectly?

Answering the direct bit at least, i.e. what green levies do to our energy bills, ought to be easy! Why do you think it might not be?

Q. What are Electricity Margin Notices and why are they significant?

You might also ask when the last one happened and what were the consequences in terms of prices?

Q. How much will the UK’s NetZero programme lower the global temperature?

We asked this question of the Department of Energy Security and NetZero and Lee Anderson of the Reform UK Party also separately asked this as a parliamentary question. The answers were consistent. Given the answer,  what would be the likely impact of this single wind farm?

Q. How much of our energy mix is electricity as opposed to gas?

The answer even surprised us when we first found out. We won’t give the game away but the consequences are dire for the feasibility of delivering NetZero whilst keeping the lights on, expanding EV usage and converting us all to heat pumps. As for becoming an AI superpower – forget it.

Q. Which country in the world has the most expensive industrial energy and almost the most expensive domestic energy?

OK, this is an easy one. The more important question is to challenge why is this?

Q. Why the haste in trying to push through their proposal?

Could it be related to their imminent sale by their parent company shareholders in Canada? Could it be related to the fact that there is already a long queue for grid connections? Both of these? Something else?

Q. Why haven’t they highlighted their Battery Energy Storage System application in their latest consultation?

It seems rather odd to us that this has been omitted and you may be shocked when you find out where they plan to put it. You might also ask them how long it could supply energy for and how much subsidy (direct and indirect) it might attract?

Q. When will prices come down and why?

We know the energy price cap has gone up for a third time but Cubico continue to claim that their proposed wind farm will help to lower energy prices. However,  they refuse to provide the evidence.

Q. Is the OBR forecasting increasing or decreasing environmental levies?

The OBR is the Office for Budget Responsibility and is the official body analysing and reporting on government finances.

Q. What is Carbon Capture and Storage and how much are we spending on it?

To be fair we only know of one project but it is a big one. The recent Spring Statement had some shocking news about it buried in the detail.

Q. Do renewables make it easier or harder to balance the grid?

A related question is how much will all the mechanisms to address intermittency cost?

Q. How much will the Community Wealth Fund work out per household per annum?

And don’t forget to relate this to the question of how much is NetZero policy costing each household? The answer provides the context that Cubico do not want to talk about.

Q. How many long term jobs would be created in the local community?

You could also ask them where the control room for Scout Moor I is located? Also, what is the equivalent number would be for a conventional power station with a similar output?

Q. How will they know if their wind farm will overall reduce carbon emissions?

This is a surprisingly non-trivial question. The standard approach is to use the Scottish Government’s Carbon Calculator, but this is under review because it is known to be flawed, particularly for assessments on peat moorland! How will Cubico (and local council planning departments) take this into account? Will they include full cradle-to-grave emissions, including manufacture, transport, installation, operation and decommissioning? Typically our emissions have reduced because we ignore non-territorial emissions but that is obviously an accounting fraud.

Q. Why not just restore the peat with a fraction of the public money that Cubico will receive?

The Scottish Government Calculator assumes that emissions savings are calculated with respect to what would happen if a fossil fuel power station was built instead of the wind farm! This is a key reason why the calculator is being reviewed.

Q. What will they do to address the massive issue of off-road biking made possible by extensive wind farm tracks?

The current situation is already very bad. It consumes extensive police effort and cost, as well as hundreds of hours of volunteer time. Given the situation will be made much worse, exactly what will they do to stop it happening?

Q. What is ETSU-97 and why is it known to be deficient?

It would also be interesting to find out from the council planning departments how they are going to address the issues arising from this deficiency.

Q. Will horse riders be put off riding along the Cotton Famine Road?

What issues might arise as a result of 180m turbines located close to and either side of a nationally significant equestrian trail?

Q. If and when the site is decommissioned will the concrete bases be removed?

There will be thousands of tonnes of the stuff so it would be nice to think that this alien material will be removed. A related question is how will all the components be recycled – if at all? In particular the only solution for turbine blades is to bury them in land fill.

Q. How much will Commoners receive to give up their rights?

And related, will it just be the area of the turbine bases that will be considered affected rather than the whole site? Also, where would replacement common land be sited?

Q. Why are they going into schools before permission is granted to promote their commercial activities?

And why are they doing this without presenting the other side of the argument which are covered extensively on this website?

Q. Why won’t they include a link to our website on their consultation material?

In a meeting with Cubico, we asked them to provide a link to our website but they refused, saying “it wouldn’t be appropriate”. It would be worth finding out why this as, particularly as they claim to be running an open consultation, and committing to respond to concerned residents.