Polls Worthless

SIR – Llewelyn Rhys of the British Wind Energy Association cites public opinion as justification for wind farms (Western Mail, April 2). However, public opinion can be easily be manipulated through advertising campaigns.

Although opinion polls may be useful for evicting members of the Big Brother household, they are worthless in shaping our energy policy, which should be based on independent studies of renewable energy technologies such as wind power.

In this respect, it is telling that Mr Rhys carefully avoids any reference to the Government’s energy statistics, which highlight the dismal performance of wind power.

The combined output of all the UK’s wind turbines saves less than 0.3% of the fuel consumed in UK power stations.

Even this figure overstates the benefits of wind power, for it is not adjusted for the energy consumed in wind farm construction, maintenance and decommissioning. It is evident that wind power will never replace our dependence on fossil and nuclear fuel, nor will the continued expansion of wind power in the UK facilitate a significant reduction in carbon emissions from electricity generation.

The Government’s energy statistics also suggest that the carbon emission savings claimed for wind turbines are exaggerated considerably.

On this basis, I would suggest that the most preposterous claims made on the subject of wind power derive from the wind industry itself.

BILL STARKEY

Innerdownie, Kinross, Scotland

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