Ice-cream mogul calls for £10m wind power investment

Published Date: 16 September 2008
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 £270 billion renewable energy jackpot.With start-up funding of £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 £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 £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.