বৃহস্পতিবার, ২৬ এপ্রিল, ২০১২

Scots green inquiry to quiz Trump

US tycoon Donald Trump will tell a parliamentary inquiry that the Scottish government's policy of promoting wind farms is a mistake.

The businessman is strongly opposing plans for an offshore development near the site of his new ?1bn golf resort, in Aberdeenshire.

He is giving evidence to the Scottish Parliament's economy committee.

Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond has said offshore wind is a vital part of Scotland's green energy drive.

Mr Trump, who flew into Scotland at the weekend, is expected to speak with protesters from the group Communities Against Turbines Scotland outside the Edinburgh parliament building, before giving evidence.

He is being quizzed by MSPs sitting on the economy, energy and tourism committee, which is holding an inquiry into whether the Scottish government can meet its green energy targets.

Ministers want to see Scotland generating the equivalent of 100% of its own electricity demand from renewable resources by 2020.

Mr Trump argues that wind power cannot survive without subsidies, adding that the appearance of turbines will kill off the tourism industry.

Continue reading the main story

Analysis


As men of the world, Donald Trump and Alex Salmond aren't all that dissimilar.

The US tycoon and the first minister of Scotland both like to get things done with minimal messing about - even if noses are sometimes put slightly out of joint.

Mr Trump's decision to build a ?1bn golf resort in Aberdeenshire - billed as the most luxurious of its kind - was a good news story for the government, given one of the world's wealthiest entrepreneurs wanted to do business in Scotland.

But plans for a nearby offshore wind development - literally too close for comfort as far as Mr Trump is concerned - seem to have soured that relationship.

Subsequent events have found the two engaging in a sort-of war of words - Mr Trump's increasingly inflammatory attacks on wind power have been met with Mr Salmond's more measured response on the importance of green energy to Scotland's economic future.

This parliamentary inquiry is not a showdown between Mr Salmond and Mr Trump, it is a probing of the government's renewable energy targets - but exchanges between the two have become a big part of the story.

The first minister says he doesn't expect Mr Trump to back offshore wind, but he does want a little understanding about the government's ambitious renewable energy aims.

It has created a tricky situation for Mr Salmond, who wants to balance major investments like the Trump resort along with his drive to make Scotland Europe's green energy capital.

Either way, the first minister has made clear to Mr Trump - and others - that investment in Scotland doesn't imply ownership of Scotland.

He previously said Scotland was committing "financial suicide" by wanting to create a "wind farm landscape" which would turn the economy into a "third world wasteland that global investors will avoid".

Mr Trump has hit out at an application for 11 turbines off Aberdeen Bay, 2km (1.2 miles) from his golf resort.

The European Offshore Wind Deployment Centre is a ?150m joint venture by utility company Vattenfall, engineering firm Technip and Aberdeen Renewable Energy Group.

But Mr Trump, whose organisation said it would be prepared to spend up to ?10m fighting such developments, argued the Aberdeen Bay project would spoil the sea views for his customers.

Scottish ministers have yet to make a decision on whether to approve the project.

Mr Trump's evidence before the inquiry comes a day after Mr Salmond told union leaders at the STUC in Inverness that investment in Scotland "doesn't imply ownership of Scotland", and that energy policy would be set by the Scottish people and the parliament, and not by others.

The first minister told the tycoon that offshore wind was worth ?30bn of investment to Scotland, and could create up to 28,000 Scottish jobs.

The Scottish government has also disputed Mr Trump's claims over wind farms damaging tourism, saying visitor numbers - including those from North America - were on the rise.

Also giving evidence to the parliamentary inquiry is George Sorial, executive vice president of the Trump Organisation, as well as representatives of the group Communities Against Turbines Scotland.

Economy committee convener, Conservative MSP Murdo Fraser, said: "Our national inquiry into the Scottish government's renewable energy targets and whether they are achievable has already taken evidence from 30 witnesses, covering themes from the planning system to the technological advances needed to meet the targets.

"In today's session the committee will hear from witnesses on their views on the impact of renewable energy on tourism and communities.

"We will continue to hear from other witnesses in the coming months as we work towards our considered view and the committee's final report."

nfl power rankings week 12 brine turkey brine turkey uc davis

কোন মন্তব্য নেই:

একটি মন্তব্য পোস্ট করুন