by whiteburn » Tue Apr 02, 2013 1:55 pm
At the risk of upsetting a lot of the UK population I believe that they, together with most of politicians, are so remarkably ignorant and ill informed on the issues surrounding energy policy and the economics of electrical generation and distribution that any opinion survey only serves to demonstrate the old adage that anything can be proved with statistics.
To illustrate:
I believe almost everyone would answer YES to the following question (rule one don’t ask a question that you don’t know what the answer is going to be):
"Do you support a balanced energy policy that includes renewables e.g. hydro and wind power?"
It’s the interpretation (spin) that’s put on the output that’s significant:
A) Unreserved support for wind farms.
B) The politicians need to stop prevaricating and get a balanced energy policy put in place.
The real answer is B) but the SNP would have you believe A)
What’s the old saying “lies damn lies and statistics”, I suppose a bigger divergence from “the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth” is a politician interpreting statistics (firstly, he/ she opened their mouth so you know there’s a lie coming!)
For many years the urban greenies and the renewable industry have successful in hoodwinking the UK public with a dream that all of the country’s energy problems can be solved by a few wind turbines. The politicians jumped on the band wagon to prove their green credentials as well as being able to ignore the gaping deficit in electrical generation capacity (no matter how many wind turbines are built) that’s just around the corner. Plus lobbying to build a power station (coal, nuclear or gas) generally doesn't get you re-elected.
Few urbanites have even seen one of the full size (10+ * 0.5MW turbines) Wind Farms, or walked further than 100m from the car, so how can they be expected to intelligently pronounce opinions on the matter?
If everyone is so happy with wind farms why the Pentland Hills and Firth and Forth estuaries aren’t filled with them? It makes more economic sense and practical sense than building wind farms 200km north, having generation next to demand reduces transmission losses and infrastructure (power lines) does need upgrading. Perhaps it’s energies companies belief that the planners will not be sympathetic (visual impact upsetting the tourists etc), opposition from local nimby groups (including many ‘greenies’) that they’ve shied away? Or could it be the SNP government steering the companies away from even considering ‘the right thing’ so they don’t lose the urban vote?
I live in rural Aberdeenshire where there has been a rampant expansion in wind turbines over the last 2 – 3 years, I can count >30 from the kitchen window! I haven’t objected to these turbines as I believe they’re in the right place, near population, despite believing they’re ugly and make no economic sense.
Most recently there’s been crowing a lot about how much renewable power was generated in 2012 but what they don’t mention is how much that power cost to generate (excessive) or how many conventional power stations have been shutdown as a result (zero).
The SNP government’s apparent energy policy is to become the exporter to the UK of expensively produced renewable energy (supposedly reaping in huge subsidies) while importing cheaper electricity from nuclear, coal and gas power stations in England when the wind doesn’t blow. Seems like a really twisted Independence strategy to me, basing your future energy policy of subsidies from a neighbouring country. Ask Denmark’s government how effective these economic tactics have been in their similar dealings with Germany, it’s not good news.
All of this will be at the expense of those who love the wild countryside, those that just come to Scotland to see it and those whose livelihoods depend on the tourist industry.
Cameron, what the SNP are doing is wrong; you should tear up the membership card and start lobbying all outdoors people to vote against them!
