Wind industry

Are the two members of the once lucrative wind industry, Brett Pingree and Mark Jones (Friends of The Scotsman, 22 July), bemoaning that Westminster has chosen to cut them off at the subsidy pass, really worried about the farmers or their own incomes? Are they not in the industry to make money?

I would say to them: “Come on, guys. Stop greeting. You have had a fair crack of the whip and more than enough of UK energy bill-payers’ money. It’s time to grow up and stand on your own two feet.

“The subsidy pot has run dry and people like you have spent it prematurely in your dash to 
harvest it.”

The figures quoted in the article are, as usual, thrown around with no supporting data. The estimated numbers of jobs lost because of the subsidy cuts will probably be a fraction of those in energy-dependent manufacturing companies.

Such companies are clearly saying the “green” levies on their energy bills are putting, and have put, thousands of jobs at risk and making them uncompetitive – which is putting the actual companies’ existence at risk.

Even wind nation Germany, with the dearest energy costs in the EU, has a levy exemption in place to keep such industries from fleeing over the border into countries that have cheaper energy bills.

The revenue lost? How does that compare to the aforementioned companies and our truly sustainable tourism industry?

Would the money these 
multinationals harvest from our energy bills even stay in the country?

The Scottish Government has done nothing to protect communities against ruthless wind development; it has failed to listen or show compassion for those affected.

Energy minister Fergus Ewing has now been reported as demanding subsidies for energy storage – something that will probably end up being too expensive for the job it does – a bit like wind has turned out to be.

The SNP is looking more like the Subsidy Needy Party ever day.

Lyndsey Ward

Beauly