| MSP
Welcomes Negative Windfarm Report
The Centre for Policy Studies’ report ‘Why wind energy will not fill the UK’s energy gap’ has been welcomed by MSP Murdo Fraser who believes that the ScotGov should not rely on wind energy to meet its renewable energy targets.
The report states that wind energy should only play a negligible role in the UK’s energy supply. It sets out that the Royal Academy for Engineering has calculated that wind energy is two and a half times more expensive than other forms of electricity generation in the UK. Furthermore, the report states, if the UK Government is to meet its renewable target of 15% of all its energy consumption to come from renewable energy sources by 2020, then the amount of electricity to be generated by wind farms will have to increase by more than 20 times. The ratio is higher in Scotland due to the Scottish Government’s higher renewable energy targets.
New Approach Needed
Murdo Fraser believes that the report underlines that there has to be a new approach to renewable energy, with new guidelines for siting onshore wind farms and less reliance upon onshore wind energy.
Commenting, the MSP said: “I welcome this report into wind energy as it is further evidence that wind energy is an expensive and unreliable form of renewable energy. The report makes it clear that wind energy will cost every household in Scotland and the rest of the UK thousands of pounds in subsidies.
“It is clear from this report that wind farms are unpopular and many communities in Perthshire have had firsthand experience of a wind farm application or a wind farm being constructed. Wind farm applications are one of the major issues in Perthshire as there have been so many right across our area. That is why we must see improvements to the current system so developers know where it is appropriate to site a wind farm. There needs to be sections of Perthshire that are ‘out-of-bounds’ for wind farms for natural beauty and importance to the local economy.
“The Centre for Policy Studies report states that a new approach to renewable energy is needed and that the focus should shift away from onshore wind farms. I believe that the Scottish Government must come forward with new planning guidance for onshore wind farms so that they are not sited inappropriately.”
|
