Wind energy can be harmful – Herald

IT is not my intention to enter into a debate with Robert McCaw on the
subject of fracking (Letters, July 29).

However I would seek an explanation for his claim that “wind energy is now
producing 50 per cent of our electricity”. At 11.35 on the morning his
letter was published, 5.5 per cent of UK electricity consumption was coming
from wind and even if we allow for Scottish levels I do not see where his
statistic comes from.

I would also challenge his assertion that “there is no harmful by-product
to be disposed of or stored”. He is failing to take account of the fact
that turbine magnets contain about one-third of a tonne of rare earth
metals the mining of which generates horrific amounts of radioactive waste
and other pollutants. The local inhabitants around the Chinese mines from
which 95 per cent of the world’s neodymium and dysprosium is extracted are
paying the most terrible price in terms of their health.

And now there is serious pressure on Greenland to allow rare earth metal
mining when Chinese reserves of dysprosium run out in five years time.
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John Milne,
9 Ardgowan Drive, Uddingston.