LOCATION/TYPE

NEWS HOME

[ exact phrase in "" • results by date ]

[ Google-powered • results by relevance ]



Archive
RSS

Add NWW headlines to your site (click here)

Get weekly updates

WHAT TO DO
when your community is targeted

RSS

RSS feeds and more

Keep Wind Watch online and independent!

Donate via Paypal

Donate via Stripe

Selected Documents

All Documents

Research Links

Alerts

Press Releases

FAQs

Campaign Material

Photos & Graphics

Videos

Allied Groups

Wind Watch is a registered educational charity, founded in 2005.

News Watch Home

Leader: Wind changes direction in turbines debate 

Credit:  April 4, 2013 | www.scotsman.com ~~

When Alex Salmond first declared his intention to make Scotland the “Saudi Arabia of renewables”, a phrase which, for reasons best known to the First Minister, he has not repeated recently, there was a mixed reaction, to put it mildly.

Environmentalists of one kind – those who believe we should not be powering Scotland using nuclear fission or burning coal and gas, but get our energy from the wind and the tides – rejoiced. At last, the dream of so-called “green energy” was to become a reality.

Environmentalists of another kind – those who believe in preserving Scotland’s magnificent wilderness – were less than overjoyed. While they accepted the case for renewable energy, many felt that the Caledonian countryside was about to be overrun by what might be described as a monstrous regiment of wind turbines.

Their initial fears appeared to be justified as wind farm after wind farm was approved, often with the Scottish Government overruling the planning concerns of local communities or councils. Some of the wind farms were in areas of considerable natural beauty.

However, thanks to some astute lobbying by mountaineer, hillwalker and SNP member Cameron McNeish, among others, it appears that Mr Salmond and his administration have had second thoughts about their determined environmentalism and are set to protect large swathes of wilderness from having unsightly wind farms built on them.

New proposals are set to be produced by the Holyrood administration aimed at ending what Mr McNeish rightly calls the “mad speculation” by energy firms desperate to erect turbines in some of the most remote and beautiful landscapes.

This new guidance will include maps, drawn up by Scottish Natural Heritage, which will designate around 28 per cent of the country’s landscape as wild land, largely in the north and west Highlands, making it more difficult to secure permission for wind farms.

Whether this is indeed a U-turn by Mr Salmond and the Scottish Government or perhaps simply what ministers might describe as a further refinement of their policy, let’s hope it lives up to its billing and gives adequate protection.

There are very few who doubt the need for renewables to make a significant contribution to Scotland’s energy generation in the decades ahead, though the sensible approach is for a mix that should include nuclear, “clean coal” and gas.

However, to allow potentially for fields of turbines to be erected across some of the country’s most beautiful landscapes is wrong, both in terms of degrading a precious environment in the name of environmentalism, and the potential effect on tourism which, we should not forget, is one of our biggest industries.

Source:  April 4, 2013 | www.scotsman.com

This article is the work of the source indicated. Any opinions expressed in it are not necessarily those of National Wind Watch.

The copyright of this article resides with the author or publisher indicated. As part of its noncommercial educational effort to present the environmental, social, scientific, and economic issues of large-scale wind power development to a global audience seeking such information, National Wind Watch endeavors to observe “fair use” as provided for in section 107 of U.S. Copyright Law and similar “fair dealing” provisions of the copyright laws of other nations. Send requests to excerpt, general inquiries, and comments via e-mail.

Wind Watch relies entirely
on User Funding
   Donate via Paypal
(via Paypal)
Donate via Stripe
(via Stripe)

Share:

e-mail X FB LI TG TG Share


News Watch Home

Get the Facts
CONTACT DONATE PRIVACY ABOUT SEARCH
© National Wind Watch, Inc.
Use of copyrighted material adheres to Fair Use.
"Wind Watch" is a registered trademark.

 Follow:

Wind Watch on X Wind Watch on Facebook

Wind Watch on Linked In Wind Watch on Mastodon