March 19, 2013
Scotland

Trump Organisation claims offshore wind farm is dead in the water

By Neil Drysdale | 19 March 2013 | stv.tv

Trump International has claimed the Aberdeen Bay wind farm project will never be built, following news of financial problems afflicting the scheme’s backers.

Vattenfall, the Swedish company behind the EOWDC venture, has announced plans to axe projects and cut as many as 2500 jobs over the next two years.

And Donald Trump’s spokesman, George Sorial, told STV he was convinced the Aberdeen Bay venture is a non-starter, whether or not it gains planning permission.

Mr Sorial said: “No-one ever really believed that the EOWDC proposal was viable because the economics behind wind energy have already failed throughout the world.

“Irrespective of the pending planning decision from a biased Scottish Government, protracted legal challenges and the simple financial shortfalls of the project will result in its demise.”

The scheme has already provoked controversy and the issue will resurface in the Scottish parliament in the weeks ahead.

Labour MSP Lewis Macdonald confirmed that he has tabled a motion and has urged the Scottish Government to take action on the EOWDC sooner rather than later.

Mr Macdonald said: “I am basically pressing for a positive decision on the EOWDC.

“This is a great opportunity and the Scottish Government must not lose it by further delay.”

His concerns were echoed by Tom Smith, the chairman of the business development body ACSEF (Aberdeen City and Shire Economic Future).

Mr Smith said: “The EOWDC is a project which ACSEF supports and it is at a critical stage with regards to planning permission.

“If there is a problem with the project, then all partners need to know, so that something can be done to resolve it. So we would welcome some clarity from Vattenfall.”

However, the company has so far refused to confirm or deny whether their decision to make cuts of £450m might affect the Scottish renewable plan.

Marine Scotland have also made no comment so far, despite being approached by STV.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2013/03/19/trump-organisation-claims-offshore-wind-farm-is-dead-in-the-water/