April 17, 2008
Letters, Scotland

Bogged down in debate

The claim that 1,700 wind turbines in Scotland save 3.5 million tonnes of emissions is just that – an unsubstantiated claim. Wind farms cannot reduce emissions per se and there is no evidence that they reduce emissions by displacing fossil power station generation. The unreliable output from wind farms cannot be accommodated by power station adjustments. Back-up or standby generation is constantly required.
Despite having a large number of wind turbines, neither Germany nor Denmark has closed any power stations, nor have emissions decreased. Your heading, “Wind farms or peat bogs”, is therefore misleading.

Peat disturbance, tree removal and other environmental destruction are just more of the criticisms of wind farms. Destroying Scottish nature and landscape against public opinion and at public and consumer cost will not create political popularity.

A R NELSON
Scarletmuir
Lanark