Rich and powerful
Western Mail, www.walesonline.co.uk 5 March 2012
Following on from Dr Ian Johnson’s letter (February 27) “End the energy fix” more details are emerging concerning these huge and powerful energy companies.
It has recently come to light that the wind turbine industry, now so rich and powerful, which include RWE (German), E.On (German), Scottish Power (Spanish) and others, has now employed huge lobbying firms to fight plans to cut a near £1bn a year in subsidies.
These cuts in subsidies were supported by a group of Tory MPs in a letter to David Cameron recently. In addition to this the group of MPs wanted local referenda to be allowed if required, before the turbines were built. The lobbying group obviously opposed this.
So much money and power is now involved that 7,000 turbines are planned onshore in the UK by 2020, which will require a massive subsidy for renewable energy of £130bn by 2030.
As Dr Johnson has indicated, these firms have already made a profit of £3.5bn during the first half of 2011.
The money for the subsidies will obviously come from the consumer, being added on to our electricity bills increasing them by approximately 25%.
Some of these customers are already in fuel poverty. This money and the profits they make will obviously go to foreign firms and out of the country. Wales produces enough energy for its needs already.
Last week David Cameron rejected the letter written by the group of Tory MPs. The lobbyists have won the day and the huge subsidies will now continue and local referenda will not be allowed.
These big firms have also drafted in eco-activists locally to drum up support for wind farms locally and to oppose any opposition to them.
This certainly is a misguided green policy in that it is not cost-effective, does not reduce CO2 emissions and is completely unreliable. But even more than this – is this democracy?
LIZ EALES
Gowerton, Swansea
URL to article: https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/03/05/rich-and-powerful/