Environmentalist have launched criticism against plans for a large wind farm in Scotland claiming that it may release more Co2 from peat bogs than it will save as an alternate energy source.
Opposition is said to be on the rise against the 540 megawatt, 150-turbine Viking wind farm that has been proposed for mainland Shetland.
Those in support of the plan say that the farm would be able to provide as much as 20 per cent of Scotland’s energy requirements and add up to £37 million to the Shetland economy.
Critics assert, however, that damaged peat bogs could see the wind farm releasing so much Co2 that the scheme might never achieve a net reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.
The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) Scotland’s objection last week followed that of the John Muir Trust. In addition, there has been a 3,600-name petition against the planned farm.
RSPB Scotland focused on the environmental statement submitted by developers Viking Energy, in which it noted that the worst case scenario would see a “payback period” of 48.5 years, due to the amount of Co2 emitted by peat bogs during the construction phase.
Lloyd Austin, the head of conservation policy at RSPB Scotland’s, said: “The lack of certainty that there would be any significant net benefits undermines the case for development. There is no point in building renewables that potentially emit more carbon, due to peatland impacts, than they save.”
Thanks to news.scotsman.com for the above quotes, for more information on this article please visit their website.
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