1,000 wind turbines gang agley

1,000 land-based wind turbines stand to be scrapped if government follows through and slashes millions of pounds in subsidies.  A report commissioned by ScottishPower concludes that reducing subsidies 25 percent will render the turbines a loss maker for investors instead of just rate and taxpayers.

CFACT continues to conclude that alternative energy sources such as wind and solar should only be deployed when they can compete effectively with other sources of energy.  Locking in inefficient power generation and the subsidies and guarantees that goes with it will have a terrible long term impact on industry as well as family finances.  Sadly, under current policy, wind turbines are more efficient at generating handouts from working people than electricity.

Scotland is plagued with unemployment numbers that keep rising to the north side of eight percent.  Industry continues to bypass regions like Scotland seeking out places to produce where costs and regulatory burdens are less.  Unfortunately, scrapping these land-based turbines could lead to relocating them offshore, where the subsidy pot is still full, at great cost to rate and taxpayers.  Scotland should instead lead the way, drop the subsidies and schemes and enable all forms of power generation to compete in the marketplace.  Efficiency and low cost is how to keep Scotland working.  The prosperity that results will green the environment more than top down mandates ever will.