Energy blow

Published on 02/10/2012 00:00

IT HAS been a bad period for the Scottish Government and the wind industry. Critics have confirmed that Scotland is “not windy enough” for green power, (your report, 28 September).

Subsidised wind turbines can only be justified if they reduce carbon emissions, but scientific reports have shown the emission savings are somewhere between trivial and zero.

The Institute of Mechanical Engineers has questioned the efficiency of turbines, while Britain’s imports of nuclear electricity from France increased by 65 per cent this year.

In an amusing twist, it appears that “coal is king” again. Peter Altmaier, Germany’s environmental minister, said building new coal-fired power plants was essential because wind electricity from the country’s 22,200 turbines is unaffordable and unreliable.

Meanwhile, the Renewables Energy Foundation reported that Britain and Europe are becoming “increasingly dependent” on cheap coal to generate electricity.

There are 1,231 new coal-fired plants proposed worldwide. India is about to open 455. China is opening a new plant every week. Worldwide CO2 will increase even further.

All this rather brings into focus the ridiculous UK emission reduction targets, especially Scotland, with only 0.15 per cent of global man-made emissions. Alex Salmond’s renewables ego trip is an economic and nationwide scenic disaster.

Clark Cross

Springfield Road

Linlithgow, West Lothian