So the Telegraph reports that 101 Tory MPs have written to David Cameron complaining about on-shore wind power. Within the first half page of the story the contradictions are clear to anyone with a few brain cells to spare.
The primary complaint seems to be that on-shore wind turbine subsidy is too expensive at a time when the economy is struggling. No mention that off-shore wind is around three times more expensive to produce. No mention that on-shore wind is the cheapest renewable energy source on a £/kW basis. No mention of DECC data that shows increases in underlying fossil fuel prices are pushing up bills much faster than renewables. No mention of massive and record quarterly profits being made by the likes of Exxon Mobile ($9.4bn) or BP ($5.1bn) and certainly no mention of the billions of pounds that will need to be spent on climate change mitigation methods resulting from the use of fossil fuels.
Tracey Crouch, said: “It is tragic that we blight our countryside with hideous electricity pylons and now we intend not only to do the same with onshore wind farms but also to subsidise them.”
So pylons are ugly and we should bury electricity cabling? Any idea how much that would cost? There are around 88,000 pylons in the UK and National Grid price underground cabling at £20m per kilometre.
So just be aware, the people who are telling you wind power is too expensive are the same ones what would advocate ripping out all the pylons at huge expense. As for the staggering subsidy of £522m – for this the UK gets a new industry that employs thousands of skilled workers and clean low carbon energy.
What did we get for the tens of BILLIONS used to bail out the bankers?
No, the answer is clear. Big oil is running scared of renewables and is lobbying hard to put the brakes on. Meanwhile the Tories have been spotted their chance to derail Coalition policy with the untimely demise of Chris Huhne.