Letter on wind farms published in "Scotland on Sunday" newspaper

The Editor

Scotland on Sunday

Edinburgh

26 July 2010

WIND FARMS INCREASE CARBON EMMISSIONS and PRODUCE LITTLE ELECTRICITY AT HUGE SUBSIDIES PAID FOR BY SCOTTISH CONSUMERS IN HIGHER ELECTRICITY BILLS

Dear Sir

I refer to the article by Jenny Fyall in Scotland on Sunday (25July)

“Wind Farms only giving half power”.

Wind farms are actually increasing carbon emissions. In a paper published on the web site Master Resource, electrical engineer Kent Hawkins has shown that when wind power surpasses 5 percent of power generated, the frequent ramping up and ramping down of the other base load power sources (either fossil fuel or nuclear)

to compensate for winds unpredictable variability causes such inefficiency in power generation that overall carbon emissions rise! Hawkins found this when studying power sources in the Netherlands, Colorado and Texas.

The energy company E.ON in their evidence to the House of Lords parliamentary committee noted that for every 1000MW of installed wind capacity another 900MW of back up capacity, fossil fuel or nuclear, is needed for times when the wind does not blow. These back up plants are run intermittently so they will increase carbon emissions. Germany has about 20 000 turbines which has meant that five extra coal fired plants have had to be built. Not one coal fired electricity plant has been taken out of service as a result of building these wind turbines. Also wind turbines operate at low efficiences around 25 percent at best, so 1000MW of capacity will only give 250MW of actual electricity at best. Dr R Dixon is wrong to associate 20 percent of Danish electricity with wind power. In fact about half of Denmark`s electricity is produced at the wrong time when it is not needed and so has to be exported to other Nordic countries at a loss to the Danish economy but paid for by the Danish consumers. Wind turbines in various locations such as California are responsible for the massacre of thousands of birds of prey including thousands of golden eagles and other such birds. There are also question marks regarding effects on health of humans who live near them.

Terri Jackson Msc MPhil MInstP AMInstMechEngineers

Professional scientist