HOW ironic that at the time of the “environmental” groups’ call for higher
targets for renewable technologies (“Experts: Half of our power can be
green by 2030”, The Herald, October 10), Scotland was importing more than
1200MW of much needed electricity from England, including nuclear and
fossil fuels, to keep our lights on and industry running. As temperatures
plummet and demand rockets, that regular high sits over the whole UK and
with not a puff of wind all Scotland’s thousands of turbines sit idle. None
of the begging for our wind power from our neighbours as Alex Salmond
predicted – quite the reverse in fact.

Better insulation to make homes warmer and lower consumers’ bills is a
n-=brainer; increasing the likes of wind power and electric transport to
help reduce our emissions and set us on the path to a low-carbon economy is
not. The suggestion that Scotland will produce all its electricity needs
from renewables by 2020 is almost certainly impossible. Other countries
with far less demand than ours have failed to run without diesel generators
as back up.

This report must have been music to the ears of Scottish Renewables CEO,
Niall Stuart, as he called for us to “lift our horizons” so that his
members can continue to make huge profits and keep shareholders happy. I do
care about our environment and that is why I bother to research into what
is claimed to be clean energy. The shocking truth is that the drive for
renewables, including batteries for electric transport and storage, is
feeding a large unregulated industry for cobalt, lithium, rare earth and
other metals. While some components are required in cellphones and
computers it is believed the amount required could come from ethically
mined and processed sources. Add in the tonnage required by renewables and
the suffering of the vulnerable who are employed in the unregulated toxic
industry explodes as they are forced to work in the most appalling
conditions. Their lands are polluted and their health and that of their
families is severely compromised.

Who cares? We should because we are being sold something as green, clean
and free and on the face of it certainly seems so. Dig a bit deeper and it
is there for all to see. It is no exaggeration to say that people are dying
in other countries because of our demand for what they are producing.
Unless the industry cleans up its act and refuses to buy from any
unregulated sources, their emissions savings claims are meaningless,
unethical and immoral and any supporting politician should be ashamed.

Lift our horizons? I would suggest we need to widen them and see what is
really happening rather than believe what we are spun by those with vested
interests.

Lyndsey Ward,
Darach Brae, Beauly.


SAS Volunteer

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