August 1, 2012
Scotland

Wind farm subsidy cut welcomed

Donside Piper and Herald | www.donsidepiper.co.uk 1 August 2012

The ‘No To Tibberchindy Wind Farm Group’ in Donside has welcomed the news that onshore wind subsidies will be cut.

The Department of Energy at Westminster announced a reduction of 10% in payments for new farms last week.

A spokesman for the Donside group said: “We have always held the belief that subsidies distort investment decisions resulting in inefficient development and the wasteful use of taxpayers or consumers money. Subsidies are very difficult to design to avoid these problems and landowners and developers are taking advantage of the over-generous subsidy regime to build small but numerous wind-farms.

This is resulting in highly uncoordinated development and a far greater destruction of our landscape than would otherwise be the case.”

He added: “The high subsidies given to wind energy also take investment away from energy efficiency measures. We must get away from the philosophy that we must consume more and more energy. If instead of paying extra on our electricity bills to subsidise wind-energy, we invested the money in energy saving measures we would save as much CO2 and still have our landscapes and countryside to enjoy.

This would also have clear benefits when the wind isn’t blowing!

However this strategy does not give the politicians the same green sound-bites and of course the wind-energy industry and all the landowners who are making money for nothing would object.”

Charles McGeachie also of ‘No to Tibberchindy Wind Farm Group’ estimates the subsidies for the proposed wind farm on Coiliochbhar Hill between Alford and Kildrummy to between £1,182,000 and £1,773,000 per year based on figures from Infinis.

Mr McGeachie points to a map the group recently received from wind farm developer Infinis, showing those properties in sight of the 115 metre turbines and now available to view at www.nototibberchindywindfarm.co.uk.

“The landowners are receiving windfall income from this for doing nothing and in the case of this development not looking upon the turbines on their land.”

“This subsidy money could be used more wisely to help rural residents in fuel poverty. We must also remember that these industrial scale developments do not lead to opportunities for local businesses or lead to local jobs.”

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/08/01/wind-farm-subsidy-cut-welcomed/