More questions on renewables – Herald (letters)

BEFORE deciding on a plan to transmit wind energy via interconnectors from
the islands to the mainline UK ministers should consider the following:

Where is the funding going to come from for the connector and grid
improvement, particularly as the Scottish Government has already recklessly
spent a disproportionately large chunk of the consumer-funded UK renewables
money pot?

Engineers justifiably question how grid stability due to the significant
increase in intermittent generation and transmission losses over large
distances are to be managed. When volatile wind can produce 25 per cent of
energy and drop dramatically to just two per cent or less in a short space
of time its continued over-deployment is clearly absurd. In addition the
consumer will be burdened with recently announced increased transmission
costs and higher constraint payments needed to turn turbines off in times
of low demand.

In the event of a Yes vote for Scottish independence what will happen if
Shetland, as it has already indicated in 2014 and more recently, decides it
does not necessarily wish to part of it? The forced industrialisation by
the wind industry of their environment, backed by the Scottish Government,
could mean Shetlanders vote to remain in the UK or maybe they will turn to
Norway instead and take their oil with them.

Lyndsey Ward,
Darach Brae, Beauly, Inverness-shire.