April 25, 2008
Letters, Scotland

Wind farms will continue to require back-up from other sources

Scottish Renewables (Letters April 24) persists in presenting wind-generated electricity as renewable. While the wind certainly is, the back-up need of windpower electricity isn’t. Resorting to meaningless “smart design” jargon in relation to peatlands discredits the organisation further. The Whitelee wind farm, under construction 15km south of Glasgow (140 turbines 100m high) requires ground stabilisation work that involves removing peat 12 metres deep in places. How green is that? While Scottish Renewables has already said wind farms can’t produce baseload electricity, the fact is that wind farms cannot produce any electricity which can be accurately called a supply. The result is the need for power station back-up to ensure reliable, continuous electricity. This defeats the purpose of wind farms.

Claims of saving CO2 emissions are just that: claims with no basis as fossil generation is not displaced. Wind farms are only built to access huge public and consumer subsidies and are only supported by misinformed environmentalists and politicians, and those who profit from them.

A R Nelson, Lanark.