> Home

Friends of the Earth claims report proves case for renewable energy

The environmental pressure group believes Scotland could phase out all conventional thermal power by 2030, maintain a secure electricity supply and generate revenue from renewable exports. This is according to new research by energy consultants Garrad Hassan.

CO₂ doesn't always stay captured

Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is controversial for a number of reasons. It's expensive, unproven, and according to researchers at Duke University, there's the troubling possibility that captured carbon could leak into groundwater aquifers, potentially rendering water undrinkable.
The problem with CCS
Environmental Issues page.
Carbon Capture and Storage

The Rainbow
Anti-Coalition

• Christian Aid
• Church of Scotland
• Conch
• Friends of the Earth
• Greenpeace
• RSPB-Scotland
• Scottish Wildlife Trust
• World Development Movement-Scotland
• WWF-Scotland
  
  

Down With Coal

In the United States and Europe, the triple whammy of recession, cheap alternatives, and aggressive anti-coal campaigning has helped halt the expansion of coal use. Since 2004, plans to build more than 150 coal plants in the U.S. have been abandoned. In fact, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), a government agency that analyzes energy-related statistics, predicts continued stagnation or decline in coal-fired electricity generation in the U.S. and the European Union over the coming decades.

The grassroots anti-coal movement goes global

Communities Opposed to New Coal at Hunterston

Rainbow anti-coalition urges AP to quit

A letter signed by representatives of CONCH, WWF, the RSPB, the Church of Scotland, SWT, Christian Air, FoE Scotland and WDM has been sent to John Whittaker, chairman of the Peel Group, urging AP to quit the proposals.

Read the letter here. (pdf)

Council dashes hopes for new ‘clean’ coal-fired power station

Plans for a new “clean” power station at Hunterston were due to be laid out by North Ayrshire Council in its Local Development Plan. But the council voted yesterday to remove all reference to a power station from the planning document.

Energy report hailed as major blow to coal power plans

Environmental campaigners have welcomed a policy statement from the Scottish Government, which they say represents another 'nail in the coffin' for a planned coal-fired power station.

Responding to the publication today of the Future of Scottish Electricity Generation Report, which sets out the Scottish Government's policy on how it plans to meet the country's future electricity needs, Friends of the Earth and WWF Scotland argue that there is now no place for 'massively unpopular' plans by Peel Energy to build a new coal-fired station at Hunterston, Ayrshire.

Amongst other things, the statement confirms the Scottish administration's commitment to supply 100% of the nation's electricity needs from renewable energy and to 'decarbonise' the electricity generation sector by 2030.

Perhaps the most damning statistic contained in the report is the fact that only 2.5GW of thermal generation is required by 2020. Friends of the Earth Scotland have already pointed out that Scotland is currently producing almost twice this amount from three existing power stations at Longannet (2.4GW), Peterhead (1.5GW) and Cockenzie (1GW) alone.

New safety fears for Ayrshire nuclear power station

The company that runs the nuclear reactors at Hunterston in North Ayrshire is warning that their safety could be jeopardised by plans to build a huge coal-fired power station next door.

North Ayrshire Council Say NO

At a meeting, lasting less than 90 minutes, North Ayrshire Councillors voted unanimously to object to Ayrshire Power's plans for a dirty coal-station at Hunterston. Citing concerns over health, environment and climate change, the councillors were also critical of major gaps in information provided by Ayrshire Power and their failure to have credible plans to capture 100% of carbon emissions from the outset. The council also highlighted the need for an independent health impact assessment; emphasised that a public inquiry was needed, given the high level of objections and also disputed that the plans were compatible with the Scottish Government's National Planning Framework.

Objectors spell out the message: "21,000 say no to new coal"

CONCH are very pleased that the Council has taken note of the concerns of the 21,000 people who have objected and taken on board many of the issues we raised during the evidence we gave to them earlier this month. We would also like to thank our many supporters who have taken time to write to the council as well as the support from environmental groups across Scotland in campaigning against these plans.

North Ayrshire Council's decision gives a very strong signal to the Scottish Government as to how seriously flawed and unpopular Ayrshire Power's plans are. We now want the Scottish Government to show similar leadership and also say no to dirty coal. It is now likely that the plans will go to a public inquiry, but CONCH will continue to campaign for an outright rejection from Scottish Ministers when they come to decide the application over the coming months.

Delighted protesters applaud North Ayrshire Council's unanimous decison to reject
Ayrshire Power's proposal to build a coal-fired power station at Hunterston.

Clean coal costs set to scupper Hunterston power station plan Professor Jon Gibbins, a professor of power plant engineering and carbon capture at Edinburgh University, said that new regulations for coal plants would make it unecomomic for Ayrshire Power’s proposal to go ahead. He believed the controversial plan would be brought down by the same commercial logic that has seen E.ON withdraw its plan for a coal-fired station at Kingsnorth in Kent and seen several other English proposals redrawn towards using gas. Emissions standards tilt economics towards gas generation Jpeg of article

For older news, see our news archive page.

WDM welcomes Scottish Government climate justice fund

WDM has welcomed the Scottish Government's announcement of the setting up of a ‘climate justice fund’ for climate adaptation in developing countries, but warned that the scale of climate injustice suffered by countries in the south means that the SNP's £9 million manifesto pledge for the fund must be increased.

Climate Debt News 01.03.2012

No need for another coal-fired power station

Courier: 07.10.11

We are extremely disappointed that the Court of Session has dismissed the legal challenge against the Scottish Government's inclusion of the proposed new coal-fired power station at Hunterston in the National Planning Framework.
This decision goes to show how profoundly undemocratic the planning and legal systems can be, and how incredibly difficult it is for the ordinary individual or other parties to access the courts or challenge poor decision-making or process.

However, this does not mean that Peel Energy's plan for Hunterston will now go ahead. It could, and should, still be refused.

The fact that there have been around 20,000 objections, and that the Scottish Parliament has voted against it, shows just how unwanted it is.

Scotland does not need new, polluting coal-fired power stations. Authoritative research from GL Garrad Hassan, one of the world's leading energy consultants, has shown that improved energy efficiency and demand reduction measures, coupled with increased use of Scotland's wealth of renewable energy sources, will be more than adequate to meet Scotland's future electricity requirements.
Stan Blackley.
Chief Executive,
Friends of the Earth Scotland.

Scottish Enterprise report: CONCH criticism

"CONCH believe that a Governent report claiming that more than 5,000 jobs could be created by storing carbon dioxide deep below the sea at three Scottish coastal sites (including Hunterston) is deeply flawed. It fails to properly consider the huge adverse impact of a coal power station with carbon capture would have on local business, tourism, public health and the environment.
It also does not address the real safety concerns of experimenting with unproven technology next to an existing nuclear power station. The report is neither independent or objective and should not in any way dissuade Scottish Ministers from rejecting outright Ayrshire Power's plans."