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Published Date: 27 May 2008
A Scottish Government spokesman forecasts that the rate of growth in electricity generated by renewable sources (excluding hydro) over the next three years will be 46 per cent per annum and that by 2011 the renewable electricity target of 31 per cent (5,000 megawatts) will be met (your report, 23 May). Once again, the Scottish Government persists in mixing up capacity with the much lower levels of actual electricity likely to be generated.
According to Scottish Renewables' website, wind farm installed capacity is 1,240.88 MW and accounts for 43 per cent of total renewable installed capacity. Assuming that wind farm installed capacity will be at a similar percentage of total renewa
ble energy capacity in 2011, the actual electricity generated by renewables will be only in the region of 3,000 MW (assuming wind farms operate at a generous 33 per cent of installed capacity and the other renewable energy sources at 80 per cent of capacity), which is not 31 per cent but 19 per cent of electricity energy generated in Scotland. In the meantime, we can be sure not one fossil-fuel power station will be decommissioned and the consumer and the environment will pay the cost of a misdirected subsidy-driven policy.

ALAN J BLACK
Camus Avenue
Edinburgh

James Bowman (Letters, 22 May) claims we are all aware the majority of electrical power in Canada and the Scandinavian countries comes from hydro-power. This is true of Canada (58 per cent) and Norway (99 per cent), but Denmark produces hardly any electricity this way and Sweden produces less than half (46 per cent).

Hydro-electricity seems simple but has many drawbacks, not least the unreliability inherent in using rainfall for supply. Due to the damage it can do to the landscape, it may well be unwelcome. In fact, nearly all the viable sites for dams in the UK have already been exploited.

STEUART CAMPBELL
Dovecot Loan
Edinburgh



Page 1 of 1

  • Last Updated: 26 May 2008 8:22 PM
  • Source: The Scotsman
  • Location: Edinburgh
 
1

Agent 99,

27/05/2008 09:05:15
Alan Black wrote: Assuming that wind farm installed capacity will be at a similar percentage of total renewable energy capacity in 2011...

Like many assumtions, this one is flawed. The current subdivision of renewable sources includes much hydro. Since we aren't building new hydro at the same rate as wind farms, the assumption does not and will never stand up. The likely situation in 2011 is therefore far worse than Mr. Black thinks, with practically all new capacity coming on stream between now and 2011 being wind-based.

Given the poor efficiency of wind (Ofgen: 24.1% actual vs. capacity) the 5GW "plate" capacity achievement in 2011 is likely to only deliver something of the order of 2.3GW. Congratulations are due all round for the continuing scam of ROCS and the triumph of the wind lobby to inflate all our electricity bills while delivering only a token result.
2

Grant Thoms,

27/05/2008 11:40:48
Considering electricity generation is measured in TwH (Tera-watt Hours) not MW or GW, which is the installed capacity, neither the letter-writer nor Agent 99 clearly understand what the Government's targets are.

Scotland's total electricity use is currently about 35TwH of which renewables are generating 20-25% of that total. By 2011, that figure will rise to 31%,largely as a result of onshore wind, and it will mean that by 2015, the Scottish Government can safely close Hunterston (if it is still open) and/or be confident that as Cockenzie, and possibly Longannet, are closed/reduced in capacity as they move to clean technologies, the lights will remain on.

Clearly, "baseload" needs renewables as much as the other way round.

In so doing, onshore wind will be providing the elusive quick fix which Scotland needs to protect supply at a time when large thermal plant are under transformation and/or nuclear power plants are retired.
3

Neil,

Glasgow 27/05/2008 12:34:01
If they will be at 31% by 2011 & are growing at 46% then by 2014 we will be getting more than 100% of our power from renewables.

Anybody believe a word Scottish Renewables say?

4

n/,

Glenboggle 27/05/2008 15:26:45
#3 Sadly our gullable politicians at Holyrood do 'believe';the likely result being, it is going to cost the consumer and Scotland very dear indeed!


5

Neil,

Glasgow 27/05/2008 16:09:08
Incidentally Grant's figure of 20-25% electricity coming from "renewables" conflicts with the official figure which is just over 13% (of which over 10% is hydro which has ben there for generations).
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2006/01/19092748/8 fig 21

Not to put to much credibility on Scottish Renewables but their boss, formerly their spokesman, has defended windmills from the charge that they might be responsible for blackouts by saying that windmills "cannot provide any baseload".
6

Margaret L,

Edinburgh 27/05/2008 17:34:24
2# Grant Thomas is confusing (in one sentence!) generation and consumption. Scotland does indeed consume 35twh bur it generates 52twhs. The difference is 8twhs goes to Ireland(both parts) and England and 8twhs is lost in transmission.

Is he saying that wind energy will magically have no transmission losses. In fact there will be far more with wind farms pencillied in for Lewis and Orkney etc.

And is electricity exported to be split between reneawable and other? How is the poor technician at the border supposed to do that trick. If we stop exporting any electricity to England they will just have to make it up by CO2 producing means themselves so the atmosphere stays the same.

Oh and CO2 emissions from electricity generation went up by 35% between 2005 and 2006 giving a total increase for Scotland of 14% - the highest in the developed world.
7

frank mcbride,

lusitania 27/05/2008 23:57:19
I see the Nuclear Luddites are out in force again. Nuclear is old, dirty, unsafe and very expensive.

Let's move forward with renewables; agreed wind farms are not a good example.

How about Hydrogen? How about recreating the water cycle? (something very rarely talked about, if even thought about), which not only would produce energy, but would irrigate barren lands.

Renewables are not the problem; Political Will is!!

There is only one reason for Nuclear power, and there has only ever been one. Nuclear weapons.

If you don't believe my last statement, ask youself why there is a "Nuclear NON-PROLIFERATION Treaty". Don't we want everyone to have cheap,safe,clean,sustainable energy?
8

fred bear,

Cheshire 28/05/2008 15:14:17
#7
"How about Hydrogen? How about recreating the water cycle?"

What do you mean by recreating the water cycle?

 

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