IT is heartening to see that renewable energy, particularly wind, is providing an ever-growing share of Scotland's energy needs ("Increase in wind power output is welcomed", The Herald, April 2).
I fully agree with WWF's Lang Banks that the key now is to develop sophisticated energy storage solutions, coupled with a more definitive energy efficiency programme.
The Scottish Government needs to provide financial and effective support to allow councils to play an important role in this lowcarbon future. The likes of Glasgow, Edinburgh, Fife, Dundee and the island councils are all doing excellent work in developing new renewable energy sources like geothermal, district heating, solar, LED lighting and the like, as well as investing in improvements to the energy efficiency of social housing stock in Scotland to reduce the scourge of fuel poverty. Many councils are also pushing forward in a real step-change by the development of local energy service companies and supporting and enabling the push for community energy co-operatives.
The last decade has seen Scotland, and the wider UK, at last embrace a low-carbon energy future that moves away from fossil fuel dependency and the risks and waste problems of nuclear power. With a more sophisticated energy strategy that takes advantage of rapid technological advances in energy storage, and prioritises energy demand management, a low-carbon, safe, sustainable energy programme in Scotland can be assured. It is important for politicians of all parties to deliver it.
Councillor Bill Butler
Convener, Nuclear Free Local Authorities Scotland
c/o NFLA Scotland Secretariat, Glasgow City Chambers, George Square, Glasgow.
WE live in a society wherein the corporate sector is expected, indeed required, to maximise short-term gain for the immediate benefit of shareholders and not necessarily for the good of the country and its people.
Thus I have to reluctantly admit that, within this context, the determination of Scottish Renewables to maximise its members' income from onshore wind subsidies is understandable even if there is no evidence from objective sources that current policies are founded on the most cost-effective strategy for reducing CO2 emissions, creating local jobs and promoting inward investment.
The turbine, in its relentless march across our land, is a symbol not of the fight against climate change but of the supremacy of neo-liberal economics. What is more, given the SNP Government's wholehearted support for the economics of such an energy strategy, I cannot but wonder if things would be any different in an independent or quasi-independent Scotland.
John Milne,
9 Ardgowan Drive,
Uddingston.
Why are you making commenting on The Herald only available to subscribers?
It should have been a safe space for informed debate, somewhere for readers to discuss issues around the biggest stories of the day, but all too often the below the line comments on most websites have become bogged down by off-topic discussions and abuse.
heraldscotland.com is tackling this problem by allowing only subscribers to comment.
We are doing this to improve the experience for our loyal readers and we believe it will reduce the ability of trolls and troublemakers, who occasionally find their way onto our site, to abuse our journalists and readers. We also hope it will help the comments section fulfil its promise as a part of Scotland's conversation with itself.
We are lucky at The Herald. We are read by an informed, educated readership who can add their knowledge and insights to our stories.
That is invaluable.
We are making the subscriber-only change to support our valued readers, who tell us they don't want the site cluttered up with irrelevant comments, untruths and abuse.
In the past, the journalist’s job was to collect and distribute information to the audience. Technology means that readers can shape a discussion. We look forward to hearing from you on heraldscotland.com
Comments & Moderation
Readers’ comments: You are personally liable for the content of any comments you upload to this website, so please act responsibly. We do not pre-moderate or monitor readers’ comments appearing on our websites, but we do post-moderate in response to complaints we receive or otherwise when a potential problem comes to our attention. You can make a complaint by using the ‘report this post’ link . We may then apply our discretion under the user terms to amend or delete comments.
Post moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article