Letters / Plucked from the air
The recent Scottish Islands Renewable Project report appears to have been created to encourage the government to hand over even more money to renewable energy projects such as Viking Energy by means of reduced transmission charges or increased subsidy.
Some sections of the report are sensible and well thought through but other key points appear to have details that have been plucked from the air and deliberately skewed to present a good case for the developer.
For example (pages 63-65), their “analysis” shows that up to 463 full time jobs could be created in Shetland from renewables by 2020. Given that even if VE did start operating in 2018 it is forecast to only create “around 30 direct jobs” (figures from VE’s website) when it is completed. It would be interesting to see a more detailed breakdown of what the other 430 people are going to do at that time or if the jobs are long term.
By 2030, the report estimates almost 3,000 people will be employed in renewable projects in Shetland. This is based on wave, tidal and onshore wind farms. Wave and tidal job predictions can hardly be reliable for such unproven technology.
It is also interesting to see the prediction for wind power in Shetland. Just where would the turbines to produce 1,600 MW be located? This would be the equivalent of four Viking Energy wind farms; hopefully it is most unlikely that this would ever be permitted.
Page 24 Table 3 – Assumed installed capacity in the Scottish Islands – Onshore Wind (MW)
2020 2025 2030
Orkney – Onshore Wind 40 256 256
Shetland – Onshore Wind 600 1,200 1,600
Western Isles – Onshore Wind 400 550 550
Is this the type of report trustees of Shetland Charitable Trust read before handing over £10 million to Viking Energy?
Frank Hay
Burnside
Voe
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