RAMBLERS CHALLENGE RENEWABLES SURVEY
The Ramblers Association today criticised Scottish Renewables for their research into public attitudes towards windfarm development.
Ramblers Scotland Director, Dave Morris, said:
"Scottish Renewables are once again trying to fool the Scottish people into believing that the world as we know it will end if their members are not permitted to erect giant turbines and pylons in Scotland's world famous landscapes. For Maf Smith, the Chief Executive of Scottish Renewables, to suggest that we need the Beauly - Denny powerline to be upgraded in order to prevent the Gulf Stream from cooling is nonsense. He wants this powerline built so that the multinational energy companies can continue to reap huge profits from huge windfarms at the expense of the wider public."
Dave Morris also drew attention to the fundamental arguments advanced by the Government's own Sustainable Development Commission, chaired by Jonathon Porritt, which said in their report of May 2005 (Wind Power - your questions answered, page 6) "Reducing the nation's demand on the national grid...is not an optional extra. It's essential, and it represents perhaps the most cost effective way of meeting our obligations to cut greenhouse gas emissions."
Dave Morris concluded: "Maf Smith is leading his industry in the wrong direction. The way forward is to reduce demand on the land-based grid, through energy conservation, improved energy efficiency and by small-scale renewable energy developments. That includes lots of small turbines in our fields and on our roofs. Maf Smith and his multinational friends should take their giant turbines well offshore and put their public relations energy into persuading the Government to develop a subsea grid."
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