Energy muddle

The recent report regarding the millions of tonnes of CO2 saved by Scottish renewables over the last year rang a little hollow.

Anti-wind campaigners have long questioned how CO2 savings are calculated. The response to a Freedom of Information request revealed the extent of the omissions in figures trumpeted by the wind industry, desperate to hang onto its over-inflated subsidies, and governments, terrified of the electorate rumbling them for probably the most appalling mismanagement of the energy sector ever known.

These omissions include grid connection often over many miles (pylons, poles, cables, supply and installation), expanded substations, turbine parts from overseas, mining and processing of rare earth minerals, manufacture of carbon fibre for turbine blades, decommissioning, costs of employment of foreign workers and equipment from abroad etc.

Stating renewables as the top source of electricity as though they always are is surely stretching reality, as is saying they secure our energy supply.

Energy production reliant purely on the weather is not 
secure so we can only assume Joss Blamire from Scottish Renewables is not talking about wind or solar.

The figures should be published per energy source, not lumped all together, often to be reported with an accompanying picture of turbines, in an attempt to make the public think wind is doing far more than it is.

Germany has a huge wind and solar industry, some of the highest energy costs in Europe, rising CO2 emissions and is having to expand coal mines and build coal power stations to secure its energy supply. Is that where we are heading?

Lyndsey Ward

Beauly