April 21, 2008
Letters, Scotland

The truth about Viking's CO2

Regarding your story on 15 April (‘Viking show off latest design’, Shetland News 14 April 2008) You report: “It would also offset about one million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions each year according to the latest government estimates, roughly half of what was envisaged one year ago due to a change in official calculations”

However, the “official” figures have not changed. The DEFRA figure has been held constant at 430 grams CO² per kWh since 2000. The reason that VE can no longer use the British Wind Energy Association figure of 860 grams CO² per kWh is because the Advertising Standards Authority has ruled that this is inaccurate and likely to mislead.

See www.asa.org.uk/asa/adjudications/Public/TF_ADJ_43298.htm for more information.

Sincerely,

Christopher Ritch
Unst