Sugared words about Lewis wind farm project
The dogs in the street know that wind-farm developers are notoriously prone to exaggeration. Hence the slimline version of the monster wind factory that Amec and British Energy (aka Lewis Wind Power) revealed to the world this week.
They will claim, no doubt, that the reduction of their proposed scheme from 243 massive 400ft turbines to only 181 was motivated by their regard for the integrity of the natural environment of Lewis and that nothing as base as a desire to collect vast amounts of subsidised, government money affected their decision to downscale.
Wind-farm developers have been known to deliberately oversize their first planning application by applying for more turbines than they expect to get permission for, so that when the “real” application goes in they cynically can pretend how much their re-application was influenced by fears of the adverse effects on the environment that would have resulted from the original.
Communities are likewise cajoled with sugared words and promises. People are duped into believing that these companies care about the communities they are so eager to exploit rapaciously.
In the Chicago Tribune of October 9, a spokesman for Lewis Wind Power, who rather curiously seems to distance himself from his employer, is quoted as saying, “I know these big multinationals are not coming here to save Lewis.
If the wind didn’t blow they wouldn’t give a damn about us.”
Well, the wind does blow and they still don’t give a damn.
Colin N Maclean,17 South Bragar, Isle of Lewis.
Tags: Wind power, Wind energy
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