Today’s letters to The Courier.
Sir, – Once again, Calum Wilson of Forth Energy wants Dundee people to believe the proposed biomass plant is a sustainable, low-carbon option which will ”contribute massively to the local economy”.
The facts point to precisely the opposite conclusions.
As the Scottish Government stated in its consultation document on the Renewables Obligation (the basis of public subsidies for renewable energy), ”biomass policy and support need to encourage the most efficient and beneficial use of this finite resource”. The Government recognises that large-scale use of biomass, primarly for electricity production, is not an efficient way to convert wood to energy, and ”would prefer to see biomass deployed in heat-only or CHP schemes, at a scale appropriate to make best use of both the available heat, and of local supply”.
Forth Energy, therefore, seeks to make a virtue of its intention to produce up to 30MW of heat, but this is dwarfed by the 100MW of electricity, meaning that the proposed Dundee biomass plant would only be cost-effective for the investors if they get massive public subsidies. And it would therefore also have a high intensity of CO2 emissions relative to energy output. Eventually, replanting of trees could re-absorb this ”carbon debt”, over decades, but by that time the emissions will have contributed to further disruptive climate change.
In addition to its contribution to carbon emissions, the three proposed Forth Energy plants, together with others planned elsewhere, would lead to an enormous increase in demand for timber on world markets.
The knock-on effects could mean native forests and their rich biodiversity being destroyed, subsistence communities being pushed off marginal land, and global food prices being pushed ever higher, as more land is converted to forest plantations.
Andrew Llanwarne.Co-ordinator, Friends of the Earth Tayside.8 Glasclune Way,Broughty Ferry.
Now we can begin to see the benefits
Sir, – I write in response to the article published in The Courier on March 22 regarding the new Asda supermarket in the Wester Gourdie area of my ward and the decision made by the Supreme Court.
I am pleased this long-running legal dispute brought about by Tesco is now at an end and I feel that the correct decision has definitely been made.
This news means Asda can now press on with their new store which will create around 200 hundred jobs during the construction phase, a huge boost for our construction industry, and once complete, 480 new jobs in our local community.
During the whole process I have had many constituents asking me what the delay was for and when the store would be built. I am delighted to now be in a position to advise my constituents that the project no longer faces any impediments and the new store will open next year.
The lengthy legal proceedings have been very frustrating but I am delighted it is all over and we can now begin to see the huge benefits it will bring to Dundee.
Alan Ross.Lochee Ward Councillor.
Credit to Scots doctor too
Sir, – Your feature on aspirin in the Courier View (March 22) was very informative and interesting. In the sub-section titled, The Aspirin Story, you highlighted the main points of discovery and research etc., that brought us the ‘wonder drug’.
But while you state ”French, German and Italian scientists contributed to the development of the drug we know today”, you failed to mention the exemplary work in this field of Scots Doctor Thomas MacLagan. I quote from Elspeth Wills’ book, Scottish Firsts: ”Aspirin: Developed by Dr. Thomas John MacLagan, one time Medical Superintendent of Dundee Royal Infirmary. He also ran a private practice in the Nethergate where, in 1876, he gave the world the ingredients of aspirin. He was the first person to recognise that the bitter tasting extracts of willow bark containing salicin were a specific cure for rheumatic fever. This fuelled Felix Hoffman and his employer, the German chemicals company Bayer, to search for a more palatable derivative. They patented aspirin (acetylsalicilic acid) in 1899.”
It strikes me that it would be a shame not to give due credit to one of our own countrymen to whom we all owe so much.
Ronald Henderson.15 Durley Dene Crescent,Bridge of Earn.
Chancellor and The Courier
Sir, – After last year’s budget you published a letter from me pointing out that low-income pensioners would be relatively worse off than other low-income groups because of the large increase in basic income tax allowance and lower increase in allowance for pensioners.
I did not give my views on the rights or wrongs of this. I did, however, say that if it continued over the years the differential would disappear and that perhaps this might be Government policy.
I don’t know if it was Government policy then but this year’s budget has certainly adopted it now. Perhaps George Osborne reads the Courier.
David Saunders.235 Muirfield Drive,Glenrothes.
Can’t believe it
Sir, – I cannot believe that Alex Salmond is wanting us to break away from the United Kingdom and still retain the monarchy.
Does he really want an independent Scotland to have a foreign aristocrat as our head of state, in a system where the Scottish people have no say in the choice of who will be their head of state?
Is he telling us there are no sensible people in Scotland who can do just as good a job for a fraction of the cost? I now seriously question his ability to lead us.
Alister Rankin.93 Whyterose Terrace,Methil, Leven.
Get involved: to have your say on these or any other topics, email your letter to letters@thecourier.co.uk or send to Letters Editor, The Courier, 80 Kingsway East, Dundee DD4 8SL. Letters should be accompanied by an address and a daytime telephone number.