Wednesday, 18th November 2009
The SNP’s plans for wind and wave power are unrealistic and unfeasible
Dear Sir,
I completely agree with the report published this week by the Institution of Engineers and Shipbuilders in Scotland (IESIS) that said the SNP's plans for wind and wave power are unrealistic and unfeasible. I also agree that nuclear power has a key role to play in a low carbon future for Scotland.
The UK Government has now identified 10 sites for new nuclear plants in England and Wales. No sites were identified in Scotland, where the Luddite approach of the SNP Government means that they will block planning approval for any nuclear installation, despite the fact that energy policy was never devolved to the Scottish Parliament. The Scottish Government is now throwing everything into a mad stampede for on-shore wind power, leaving our renowned landscape bristling with giant turbines.
The ‘load factor’ for wind turbines in Scotland is less than 30%, which means they actually produce energy at their maximum output for less than one third of their operating life, resulting in the need for a backup generating capacity to meet demand. The Scottish Government’s refusal to entertain a new nuclear plant means that this backup will have to come from high CO2 emitting coal or gas-fired fossil fuel plants. This knocks a hole in the entire philosophy behind the drive for on-shore wind.
The Scottish Government must see sense and appreciate that a mix of renewables and nuclear energy is what is needed to meet Scotland’s future energy demands.
Yours faithfully
Struan Stevenson
Scottish Conservative MEP
