Letters / Attempts to resurrect Viking Energy
There have been a number of demands in recent weeks for a large capacity interconnector from Shetland to mainland UK rather than the smaller capacity one proposed in the plans to replace Lerwick power station (Minister backs larger interconnector calls; SN, 22/09/2017).
Essentially these are attempts to resurrect the Viking Energy wind farm proposal which has come up against the stumbling block of the huge cost involved in providing the grid infrastructure required to enable it to proceed.
Any such cost will have to be borne by UK energy consumers and it is highly questionable whether the cost would represent value for money for them.
The merits of producing power hundreds of miles away from where the demand lies must also be considered. Just because it is “renewable energy” does not mean that it is a must have, regardless of cost.
Wind power is by no means a reliable energy source and its merits are increasingly being called into question worldwide.
People should be made aware of the implications of a large capacity interconnector to these islands. Such an interconnector would mean Viking Energy and other large wind farms like those proposed by Peel Energy going ahead.
We feel that many Shetlanders are appalled by the prospect of living in a giant wind farm and by the risks to the environment and wildlife posed by such developments.
Viking Energy would like to portray themselves as a community wind farm project. In reality many local people are opposed to such a development especially those living close to the proposed wind farm area.
Sustainable Shetland does support genuine community renewable projects that are of a reasonable scale, not large-scale industrial type developments such as Viking Energy which are being promoted for mainly financial reasons.
Frank Hay
Chairman
Sustainable Shetland
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