Climate justice researcher at Glasgow Caledonian University condemns wind farm usage plans

A climate researcher has branded plans to build a new £20 billion wind farm network as failing to adequately deal with net zero targets.

The investment in the Central North Sea development comes from energy firm Cerulean Winds and will see a network of hundreds of turbines built.

The plans are billed to create 10,000 jobs, but likely won’t get off the ground until 2028.

However, Dr Julius Uti, an environmental researcher at Glasgow Caledonian University, has criticised the project, as though it will produce clean energy, that power will then be used to supply offshore oil rigs.

He said: “That is where the dilemma comes in. If we are talking about carbon neutrality, if we’re talking about emissions or going net zero, you can’t be using renewable to power fossil fuel.

“So I think we need to take a stand. Call a spade a spade. If you’re going to invest in renewables, invest in renewables. If you’re going to invest in fossil fuels make that abundantly clear. Don’t use A to fuel B and then expect to get the targets for A.

“It doesn’t work that way.”

He said that if done right, wind power is a positive carbon neutral source of energy/

He added: “If Scotland is to become a net zero country then that practically means investment in large-scale projects such as offshore wind.

“I think offshore wind is an ideal solution actually, much more than onshore wind, which gets complaints from birdwatchers and people like that.”