I WISH to clarify inaccuracies from Struan Stevenson, MEP (Letters, July 19).
Far from being “useless”, wind turbines now provide us with around 15% of Scotland’s annual electricity needs. Wind power is now the main source of renewable electricity in Scotland.
Far from being twice the cost of nuclear, Mr Stevenson’s Conservative Party colleagues in government at Westminster have published reports which show onshore wind power costs as comparable and forecast that renewables will actually save consumers money in the longer term due to increases in the cost of oil and gas.
In Scotland the Government increased its renewable electricity target to 100% of equivalent Scottish demand, not 80% as stated in his letter. That has given investors confidence and brought Gamesa, Doosan and Mitsubishi to Scotland and Scottish companies like Weir Group and Wood Group to this new market.
As one of Scotland’s MEPs and president of the European Parliament’s Climate Change, Biodiversity & Sustainable Development Intergroup, we would expect Mr Stevenson to get behind work to build a competitive and sustainable economy.
Niall Stuart,
Chief executive, Scottish Renewables,
49 Bath Street, Glasgow.
I AGREE with Mr Struan Stevenson’s views on wind farms, but I would like to correct his last statement about there being none on the Pentland Hills because of politicians not wanting to see them from Holyrood. There are none on the Pentlands because of a five-year fight by Midlothian Council supported by a local group, Penicuik Environment Protection Association. The Midlothian Local Plan Reporter is to be commended in recognising the priceless asset we have in the Pentland Hills and this was followed through by the two Government Reporters at the Auchencorth Public Inquiry. What a tragedy it is that elsewhere local council decisions have been overruled by Government Reporters. Sadly there are other battles for the Pentlands ongoing.
Celia Hobbs,
Dykeneuk, Peebles Road, Penicuik.
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