Scotland’s “Routemap” for Renewable Energy has been described as the most
ambitious in the European Union.

That’s unfortunate, because the EU Commission now looks set for an eventual
U-turn on this catastrophic policy.

European president Herman Van Rompuy reflects growing panic, calling for
the EU to slash energy costs. Compared to US competitors, he maintains,
European industry pays twice as much for electricity, and four times as
much for gas. Antonio Tajani (Vice-President of the European Commission for
Industry and Entrepreneurship) claims Europe is experiencing a “systematic
industrial massacre” thanks to its obsession with renewable energy; and it
needs a new energy policy to drag it out of recession.

Now the new report by Audit Scotland makes it clear that investment is
stalling and the forecast of thousands of jobs in the offshore industry
needs to be scaled down drastically (“Watchdog casts doubt on Scots
renewables policy”, The Herald, September 12). Alex Salmond envisages a
Scotland that would be “The Saudi Arabia of Renewable Energy”. But as the
rhetoric continues, Scotland will begin to sound like “the Saudi Arabia of
Hot Air” with some of the most expensive electricity in the world and with
fuel poverty – already a national scandal – escalating out of control.

Carbon savings from all UK wind farms, the only renewables game in town,
are derisory – even on the industry’s own figures. Yet massive subsidies
mean that profit-greedy multinationals are mounting an industrial invasion
of some of our most sensitive and valued natural environments.

Applications by developers are almost routinely approved by the Scottish
Government and there are hundreds in the queue. One already approved,
Stronelairg in the Monadhliath Mountains, will have a far larger footprint
on those high moorlands than that of the Highland capital, Inverness. And
the landowner stands to make an estimated £60 million in unearned income
from it; for which we all pay, ultimately, through our ever increasing
energy bills.

The best we can now hope for is a quick death for the European Union’s
renewable energy policy before it causes more social, economic and
environmental damage – and less independence-orientated hot air in Scotland
on the parts of Messrs Salmond and Ewing.

Ken Brown (Dr),
Glenmoriston,
Inverness.


SAS Volunteer

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