Wild Land News no 65, Winter 2005/2006

COMMENT - Future energy - choices or meltdown Article

It's all coming together to create a nice heady brew for the coming couple of years... The sharp rise in energy prices; the floodgates opening for onshore windfarm applications (and some hydro too); the resurrection down south of nuclear power; a new planning bill proposing Holyrood rubber-stamping for national projects. All this and at the same time the Scottish Executive are saying yes they can stop a nuclear power station being built in Scotland even if Westminster require it.

It all smacks yet again of a lack of a decent, well funded, public supported strategy for energy production/supply and conservation. The national grid may be joined up by its very nature but there is little medium to long term joined-up thinking for Britain's energy.

So where does the Wild Land Group stand on nuclear power given our antipathy to most, if not all, onshore windfarms and hydro in the Highlands & Islands. Is it clean, geographically small, carbon-neutral or is it a terrorist target, with meltdown/attack likely to contaminate huge areas of land (never mind the people, flora and fauna). Does it concentrate power in the hands of the few or does it buy us vital breathing time whilst other technologies come on stream? And what about the waste - is this destined for some remote highland area with stable rock and no roll ?

It is not strange that Western countries can bring nuclear power technology up to speed very quickly and talk about new power stations, yet technology for wave and tidal seem to never quite get off the ground (or should it be 'under the water'). And energy conservation - good for the economy, for jobs, for businesses - why is this not a 'no-brainer' (using current lingo).

The majority on the Steering Team feel that at this present time there is no urgent need to jump again onto the nuclear bandwagon. The risks and costs are still too high. We should put much more effort into renewable energy technologies especially for base load/firm generation sources not dependent upon wind or sun. Biofuel, wave and tidal come to mind. Local conservation and generation are the answer too.

It goes without saying that we are not surprised that Britain fails to have a strategic approach to energy. Would we do it better if the Scottish Executive had the power to control all energy policy, rather than Westminster ? Or is that really in the hands of the multinationals and the market ?

We would welcome any comment from members on this matter.