Letters / Indoctrination?
I see that SSE/Viking have moved on from indoctrinating schoolchildren as to the alleged virtues of wind energy and the Viking Energy project, to delivering the same message to representatives of the press.
Apparently glossy brochures are not enough, and the press have to deliver the same message to us.
We natives must be convinced that this is a wonderful project that will help save the planet. No doubt the thousands of tonnes of concrete being poured into the hills, massive disturbance of peat and negative impacts on local residents are glossed over in the presentations.
Statements like “the project is on time and on budget” are hard to believe, particularly as energy costs have risen so rapidly recently. This must, at least, have had an effect on the cost of the vast quantities of diesel being used in the wind farm construction.
Today there is a public display of the plans for a battery park at Gremista. A Greener Grid Park of lithium batteries is not very “green” or environmentally friendly.
There have been numerous reports of lithium batteries being a fire hazard. Obviously, SSE are anticipating problems with the windfarm/inter-connector setup, otherwise such a scheme would not be necessary.
It would appear that the battery park is required to ensure a smooth transition from the interconnector setup back to the Lerwick Power Station if/when problems arise.
What an expensive and complicated solution to Shetland’s energy needs! So called green energy does not appear to come cheap, be easy to manage or be reliable.
Frank Hay
Weisdale
