Tuesday, July 25, 2006
Don't mention.....WIND FARMS!
I was pleased to read recently that research is ongoing into a £ 35 million project to build large offshore wind farms. The benefits for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross are considerable: the test turbines are being built at Nigg in Easter Ross and two hundred and fifty jobs could be created if the project gets the go-ahead and there would be surely be advantages for job creation further north. Furthermore, this would clearly add to CSER’s claim to be an energy showcase for Europe, helping to bring further research and educational opportunities to the area.
The focus of my campaigning thus far has been about how we can stimulate job creation in the far north and stop the exodus of talent from the constituency. I am always very keen to support any initiative that creates jobs, as the current rate of job losses from Dounreay will only increase with terrible consequences.
But many people are concerned about wind farms. I am too. It is Labour Party policy to support them and we are committed to having a greater part of our energy needs supplied by renewable sources. This is the correct approach, but certainly does not mean we cannot also use nuclear energy.
How wonderful it is to harness wind and know it is not a finite resource, all the more so as the country unnaturally heats up; we should be glad it produces no pollution, and leaves our air clean. The turbines leave, it is to be supposed, a small foot print, and farming can continue on the same land. It is readily affordable and is cheap and easy to decommission. Furthermore, as we can see from the development in Nigg it has the potential for job creation and all the better if it can be built off-shore.
That being said, many say they are an eyesore and whilst they have a certain eerie charm they do spoil the landscape and devalue local property prices. It has also been said they are unreliable and inefficient and I have heard they often do not work, require back-up and work only intermittently. They do cause noise pollution and there is little doubt they affect bird life and natural habitats and it has also been said it is the most costly form of generating electricity.
I am not sure land wind farms are appropriate for CSER, but my mind is open and I would like to hear what you think. I am convinced of the need for job creation in and around Nigg and think the advantages outweigh the disadvantages of placing the farms off-shore where they are less of a nuisance.
There are many ways for the Government to reach its renewable energy targets, and meet them we must. Please let me know your views on wind farms in the constituency.
The focus of my campaigning thus far has been about how we can stimulate job creation in the far north and stop the exodus of talent from the constituency. I am always very keen to support any initiative that creates jobs, as the current rate of job losses from Dounreay will only increase with terrible consequences.
But many people are concerned about wind farms. I am too. It is Labour Party policy to support them and we are committed to having a greater part of our energy needs supplied by renewable sources. This is the correct approach, but certainly does not mean we cannot also use nuclear energy.
How wonderful it is to harness wind and know it is not a finite resource, all the more so as the country unnaturally heats up; we should be glad it produces no pollution, and leaves our air clean. The turbines leave, it is to be supposed, a small foot print, and farming can continue on the same land. It is readily affordable and is cheap and easy to decommission. Furthermore, as we can see from the development in Nigg it has the potential for job creation and all the better if it can be built off-shore.
That being said, many say they are an eyesore and whilst they have a certain eerie charm they do spoil the landscape and devalue local property prices. It has also been said they are unreliable and inefficient and I have heard they often do not work, require back-up and work only intermittently. They do cause noise pollution and there is little doubt they affect bird life and natural habitats and it has also been said it is the most costly form of generating electricity.
I am not sure land wind farms are appropriate for CSER, but my mind is open and I would like to hear what you think. I am convinced of the need for job creation in and around Nigg and think the advantages outweigh the disadvantages of placing the farms off-shore where they are less of a nuisance.
There are many ways for the Government to reach its renewable energy targets, and meet them we must. Please let me know your views on wind farms in the constituency.
# posted by John McKendrick @ 1:01 PM 
