By Steve Bargeton, political editor

PLANS TO BUILD a forest of giant wind turbines across Scotland to meet ambitious green energy targets were blasted by a cross-party committee of MSPs yesterday.

In a damning report on the Executive’s alternative energy policy, the powerful Holyrood enterprise committee unanimously said ministers were wrong to rely on wind power.

The Executive wants 18% of Scotland’s electricity to come from renewable sources by 2010 rising to 40% by 2020.

To meet those targets will mean a massive expansion of controversial onshore wind farms across Scotland.

Yesterday in a comprehensive report, Labour, Liberal Democrat, SNP, Tory and Green MSPs united to condemn that policy as “neither sustainable nor sensible.”

Enterprise committee convener Alasdair Morgan said, “It is clear that the Executive will meet its target of 18% of electricity production from renewable sources by 2010.

“However, almost all of this will come from onshore wind farms…It is not good energy policy to develop only a single source of renewable energy.

“The focus on wind power is depriving other technologies such as tidal and wave power of much needed investment.”

In its report the committee echoed concerns at the prospect of wind farms springing up all over the countryside.

It said there are “major weaknesses” in the present planning system and a “lack of guidance” from the Executive.

“There does currently appear to be a proliferation of large onshore wind farm proposals concentrated in sensitive geographical areas with which the planning system is struggling to cope,” said the report.

The MSPs called on ministers to come up with a national plan for potential wind farm sites.

“The committee believes that the Executive must take an active lead and develop a national strategic framework for wind farm applications,” said the report.

“This could include arriving at agreements with local authorities as to their contribution to meeting the energy targets and extending guidance.”

One of the other major concerns expressed by the committee concerning the Executive’s present reliance on wind power is what happens when the wind does not blow.

As committee member Jamie Stone put it, “The thing about over-reliance on wind is that the day the wind doesn’t blow, you have a problem.”

In their report the committee noted, “If the wind speed is too low the blades will not be turned and the turbine will not generate electricity.

“If wind speeds are too high the turbine will shut down automatically to prevent damage being caused.”

The committee added, “If wind farms were supplying a large percentage of the power to the grid at any one time, and weather conditions suddenly became unfavourable, a situation could arise where several large generating farms go offline in a relative short period of time. This in turn would lead to a sudden fall off of power across the transmission grid.”

The report was welcomed by the deputy enterprise minister Lewis Macdonald who said that the Executive was looking at a mix of renewable energy options.

“We need a mix of renewable energy to enable us to meet our ambitious 40% target…by 2020.

“There is more wind energy development in Scotland at the moment because the technology is more advanced.

“We are confident we can meet our 18% target of electricity from renewable sources by 2010 mainly through wind and hydro and expect other renewable energy developments to come forward in due course.

“I look forward to considering the committee report’s conclusions—and we will respond formally in due course.”