NEWS: Call for Tourism To Save Scotland From Wind Farms

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 UKH News 28 Aug 2012
Stac Pollaidh.......beautiful scenery in a peaceful and tranquil setting., 4 kbScotland's hills are under threat from industrialisation in the form of wind turbine farms.

As part of their lobbying against wind turbine farms in Scotland's mountains, MCofS's Chief Officer, David Gibson is attempting to mobilise travel and tourist businesses to voice their dissent against this 'industrialisation'.

Read more at http://www.ukhillwalking.com/news/item.php?id=67387

Snowdon Group Gaf 28 Aug 2012
In reply to UKH News:
The response we've had here in Snowdonia is that the land and its natural formation/resources have always been exploited by humans for industrial purposes, even back to the Iron Age and beyond. How does one argue with this?

Not happy
 Stone Muppet 28 Aug 2012
Look at DECC's carbon emissions calculators online.

Fun version: http://my2050.decc.gov.uk/
Serious version: http://2050-calculator-tool.decc.gov.uk/

Now look at how much energy you'll gain from covering the last of our wilderness in turbines and ask yourself, do you think it's worth it?

I've nothing against a but of wind power here and there but wilderness has a value too. Alas it can't be so easily quantified in kilowatts or tonnes of CO2 so we run the risk of ignoring it.
 auld al 28 Aug 2012
In reply to UKH News: we are going to need all the energy we can manage to farm for the future
 Brendan 28 Aug 2012
In reply to UKH News:

Can't say I'm with the MCofS on this one. If it's a choice between nuclear power stations and wind farms I'd take the latter. At sites where the wind turbines have been removed, they leave no lasting impact.

As climbers/walkers, I think we're also on shaky ground complaining about spoiling wilderness. Look at the tracks on all the popular munroes, are they any more unsightly than windfarms?

We have to produce energy some way and if windfarms are the most environmentally friendly way to do it, so be it.
 Mikey1988 28 Aug 2012
In reply to Brendan: I work in the offshore survey industry, windfarms arent the answer, with the best will in the world they only just pay for themselves....with the government subsidising them, the reason for this is the wind isnt always blowing, over the next few years the plan is to put thousands of turbines up in the middle of the north sea, where no one can see them, there really is no need to put them onshore in large numbers, still this will only provide a fraction of the power needed in the UK, the second highest tidal range in the world is in the severn esturay, 14 meters, thats millions of tonnes of water flowing in and out every day and the plans are still on the drawing board to utilise this! the moral here is rather than trying to use one technology to fix everything use everything we can to solve the problem, solar, wind, tidal, and eventually (if we can ever get it to work...) Nuclear fusion all the wonders of fission power without the risk of massive explosions and higher cancer rates!

 diveo 28 Aug 2012
In reply to UKH News:
Mikey and Brendan both make good observations. However, it is incumbent on all of us to consider this in a bigger context. Our electricity use as a nation needs to be satisfied (unless we all start to use a lot less),and it has to come from somewhere. The dominant source to date has been burning stuff (coal / oil / gas), which I am sure we would all agree a much bigger impact than windmills. Nuclear is not much better, although it defers the downsides for much greater periods of time.
As I look at the comments and the issue, it seems that aesthetics are the main concern being expressed, whether it be the sight of pylons or roads? Is this the main concern?
Mikey makes a very good point, in that there are plans for large offshore wind farms around Scotland in the coming years. The Onshore Windfarm applications and approvals seem to be moving in the direction of smaller scale installations across Britain (unless I am ill informed).
The tidal flow systems are also promising by the look of things, but at a pretty early stage in teh commercialisation of the technology. No doubt this technology will grow. Personally I applaud the commitment of the Sottish government to renewable energies. It may result more visibility of windmills, but I think it is selfish to reject this important direction on the basis that some people don't like to see windmills when they are on the hills.
Zenith 28 Aug 2012
In reply to UKH News:
We need a viable way to produce as much non-polluting electrical power as possible. This will inevitably mean that a mixture of onshore/offshore wind, tidal and solar will be required nationwide.

I don't think anyone seriously advocates covering every available area of land with a wind turbine, but if we are not to ruin an entire planet irrevocably then something will have to give, and with abundant areas of hills there will have to be development in Scotland.

There are arguments against any green energy option at some level - Severn tidal power ruining mudflats, wind turbines scarring landscape, same for any sort of solar farm, wind farms affecting birds, water turbines affecting marine life... Not all of these arguments can be entertained if we are to make some sort of serious change.
Zenith 28 Aug 2012
In reply to UKH News:

To anyone interested in a very accessible way to break down possibilities and requirements, try Sustainable Energy - Without The Hot Air: http://www.withouthotair.com/
andrewffox 28 Aug 2012
we as a country need to be using a free resource that is carbon free and also beautiful to look at. We could be exporting electrical power to the rest of Europe adding up to 7 billion to our economy.
To me they are a positive addition to our already industrial countryside they will attract visitors to the area the more the better. I think it’s sad that most of these objectors do not realise the harm they are doing and need to get their heads out of the sand. We are wind rich in this country and need to use it to our advantage for both electrical power and jobs
 Tom Hutton 28 Aug 2012
In reply to andrewffox:
> we as a country need to be using a free resource that is carbon free and also beautiful to look at. We could be exporting electrical power to the rest of Europe adding up to 7 billion to our economy.

Is it the 8m wide roads all over the hills, the borrow pits, the substations, the 50m square concrete bases or the pylons that are beautiful to look at? You don't make that clear...
 diveo 28 Aug 2012
In reply to Tom Hutton:
Do you really think that is a balanced picture that you are presenting. Very sensational, a bit like reading the daily mail.
So what do you propose as a realistic option?
Ken Lewis 29 Aug 2012
In reply to andrewffox:
> We could be exporting electrical power to the rest of Europe adding up to 7 billion to our economy.

Who is going to buy your expensive electricity?
 Jamie Hageman 29 Aug 2012
In reply to UKH News: For me it boils down to industrialisation of wild places, whether that be wind turbines, housing or industry. When I look at a map of Europe and compare it with the Scottish Highlands, I see that the Highlands have far fewer roads than anywhere else. As close to a true remote wilderness without travelling a long way away as you can get.
I have visions of the future landscape of the upland areas of Scotland, and they aren't pretty. The alluvial/peat plain of the Lochy area of Fort William has now started to be develpoed for a huge out of town Tescos and Hospital complex, plus lots of new housing. I'm sure there are plenty of arguments FOR this kind of develpment (as there are for windfarms), but it's sad for me to see more wild land built on.
With this is mind, I plan to paint an 'artist's impression' of how I see the area I live in, in 100 or 200 years' time. Quite an interesting project I think.
 MargieB 30 Aug 2012
In reply to UKH News: MCofS' maifesto, in making its plea to the tourist industry, states they want specific preservation of munros and corbetts and environs- showpieces of Scotland. Are these not protected in the Government's 2020 routemap for renewables in Scotland? I note MCofS show a picture of Coigargh Penisula Heritage Park. Or is it still like the years when we petitioned in our area of Loch Ness (World class) for sensitive planning as regards wind farms, when we had to fight for appropriate changes to maintain tourist attraction?

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