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Written by Steuart Campbell
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Saturday, 23 September 2006 |
Electricity shortage
You are right to question the unrealistic pledge by the deputy first
minister, Nicol Stephen, to provide all of Scotland's electricity from
renewable sources by 2050 (editorial, 19 September). But you could have
pointed out that experts predict the grid would collapse if more than 20
per cent of the supply comes from such sources. You could also have pointed
to the environmental damage that such schemes do, and that they are no help
in reducing emissions of greenhouse gases.
Electricity shortage
Mr Stephen's plan would result in us suffering from a serious shortage of
electricity. We would end up importing nuclear-generated electricity from
England, if it has any to spare.
But you are wrong to claim that Scotland exports "a third more electrical
power than it uses". We export only 17 per cent of the total electricity
generated, consuming 70 per cent of it (13 per cent is lost in the process).
Steuart Campbell
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