The 500m plan to build one of Europe's largest onshore wind farms was rejected on Monday by Scottish ministers who claimed the scheme would have devastated a globally significant peatland.

Jim Mather said the 181 turbine project would have taken over the moors of northern Lewis and would have had significant adverse impacts on rare and endangered birds that live on the peatland.

The rejected plan was greeted with delight to many environmentalists and wind power opponents, however the developers were greeted with dismay by the news. There were 11,000 islanders who opposed the plan, which had been supported by the Western Isles council and the island's main community trust.

Dina Murray, a crofter who farms part of the affected moor said I'm absolutely delighted, and I'm delighted for the people of Lewis who fought long and hard against this, on the same grounds as the wind farm has been rejected. The environment, the landscape and the peatlands are worth far more than any wind farm. (As quoted in The Guardian).

However, this one rejection doesn't mean that the Scottish National Party Association in Edinburgh is completely against wind farms in the Western Isles or anywhere else. Ministers are currently looking for a sustainable green energy program in the area.

Since last May the SNP has agreed to thirteen new schemes and currently processing applications for 35 wind and hydro power schemes. With the schemes like these that are already in use, this would generate enough electricity to supply all of Scotland's homes.

The conflict over the Lewis proposal has brought some tensions and challenges of onshore wind farms into clear view. The Lewis project would have generated 650 mw of electricity, almost 10% of Scotland's electrical needs.

Lewis Wind Power, the joint venture company of British Energy and Amec, were not pleased by the decision. Not only would the project have made an important interconnector to take electricity to the mainland, but also the farm would have brought 400 jobs to Lewis as well as injected 6m a year in rental payments and other benefits to the island.

Wind power opponents are now focussing on the vast use of peatlands for major new schemes. They argue that the industrialisation of the peat moors risks destroying these habitats and will release the carbon storied in the peat through erosion.

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