Commenting on the latest poll from Scottish Renewables, Linda Holt, spokesperson for Scotland Against Spin said:

“It’s no surprise that surveys commissioned and paid for by the wind industry or its cheerleaders always show great public support for wind energy.  Their questions are deliberately phrased to elicit a positive response. It’s a bit like asking people whether they support “the continuing development of” roundabouts in our transport network, or of supermarkets in our retail sector. Who wouldn’t? Renewable energy, roundabouts, supermarkets – they’re all good in theory.

“Scottish Renewables’ question is so general and anodyne as to be virtually meaningless. Does “continuing development of wind power” mean lots more turbines or does it mean fewer, more efficient, less harmful turbines? Onshore or offshore? And one of the million dollar questions – what proportion should wind energy occupy in the mix of electricity generation?

“How does Scottish Renewables explain the fact that almost no turbine or wind farm application in Scotland commands majority support in the local communities which are supposed to benefit from it? Everywhere you look opposition is growing – from newspapers to social media, from community councils to local authorities, from NGOs like the John Muir Trust and the RSPB prepared to make legal challenges. Wind farm applications are the most contested, and appealed, of all planning applications.

“Neither the wind industry nor the Scottish Government dares to ask people key questions such as whether we have enough onshore wind turbines. Should they be positioned near homes? Should they be put on wild land or tourist areas? Should they be allowed to destroy peatbogs and bird populations? Should they carry on being so heavily subsidised by hard-pressed consumers?

“You can’t expect turkeys to vote for Christmas, and an industry which has grown rich by using public money to carpet Scotland in turbines won’t be asking people whether enough is enough any time soon.”

See also CCF18032015_2 CCF18032015_3 CCF18032015_4


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