Sir, Eurowind is concerned that after all the work put into our proposal for Nathro Hill windfarm, it seems we still haven’t been sufficiently clear in explaining the details for some who claim our economic benefit figures are “pie in the sky”.
As responsible developers, we have to be careful how we describe things the consequence of this is to use words like “could” and “would’. This is because we can only do all the things we hope to achieve for the community and the economy if we get consent. If we don’t, these benefits can’t happen since they depend on the wind farm to enable them.
Already we have been heavily involved in setting up the Angus Energy Hub, which we hope will further the growth of jobs, training and renewables integration in Angus. This is intended to help Angus join in the fastest-growing industry in Scotland’s history and build our global place at the forefront of this technology.
We are in a period of transition in the world and it will always be difficult for some to accept change.
But the reality is that humanity’s presence has had a profound impact on the world and we should tread more lightly in future if we are to keep it in even a moderately safe state for our children to use.
In Scotland’s case, we are blessed with renewable resources other countries can only dream of and yet they are doing more than us with less. We have the chance to move to effectively limitless energy sources, guaranteeing our security of supply and best of all, we have so much of the stuff we can sell it to the rest of Europe through the interconnectors planned for the North Sea.
Isn’t that a future worth building for our children?
Ian Lindsay. Director, Eurowind UK Ltd.
Neglect means much work to be done
Sir, Another well thought out and researched article by Ewan Pate (Farming, December 12) on the importance of maintaining ditches, and dredging rubble from accumulations in rivers and streams.
He points out that government interference (based on faulty science?) ignores the experience of generations of farmers and other country dwellers hence more flooding than might otherwise be expected.
As I recall, hundreds of years ago, in the south of England the fens and East Anglia Dutch “dykers” were brought in to dig the ditching canals which drained those areas, with the results we see today swathes of fertile farmland.
The dykes became home to fish, eels, and various wildfowl, I believe.
They created their own friendly environment and a living for many of the inhabitants.
It may be that the slower flowing rivers did not produce the same problems with shingle accumulations and tended not to flood as readily, but the deep ditching would help during heavy rainfall.
Such has been the neglect in Scotland, there is much to do.
A T Geddie. 68 Carleton Avenue, Glenrothes.
Short-sighted decision
Sir, I am very angry by the short-sighted decision by OFGEM to sanction a £12 a year price increase to every household’s bill for the next eight years to allow for maintenance and upgrade of the National Grid by energy firms.
This is outrageous. Surely this cost should come out of the massive profits made by energy companies that is surely what is called investment rather than hard-pushed householders who are already struggling with fuel poverty at an all-time high.
This money should also come from the shareholders and if they receive smaller dividends then welcome to the real world!
Gordon Kennedy. 117 Simpson Square, Perth.
Famed for its historic brawls
Sir, I love the typical St Andrean but the description “could start a fight in an empty room” was coined to describe his or her thrawn nature.
The farrago over a new site for the famous Madras College bears all the hallmarks of the town which hosted the Scottish Reformation and other historic brawls.
If all else fails, an exasperated Fife Council now threatens to take the school out of St Andrews and plonk it down near the Tay Bridge.
But can you imagine the criticism if the only institution offering secondary education in Scotland’s most elite university town was an exclusive boarding school?
Dr John Cameron. 10 Howard Place, St Andrews.
An incorrect assertion
Sir, Your columnist, Jenny Hjul, asserts that the Scottish National Party has in the past been a republican party (Wednesday, December 19).
The SNP never has been, at any time during its existence for the last 78 years, a republican party.
Perhaps before she gets to work on her next article attacking the legitimate aspirations of the Scottish people she will do a little research into her subject?
Ronald Henderson. Bridge of Earn.