Make Coal Extinct!
Ayrshire Power has failed to establish the need for a new fossil fuel power station. In fact there is strong evidence to show that there is no impending energy gap in Scotland. Priority should be given to greener and more sustainable forms of energy, rather than dirty coal.
Unless carbon capture technology can be proved to work on 100% of emissions from the outset it will make it impossible for Scotland to meet its targets for reducing C02 emissions as set out under the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009. In addition, Ayrshire Power claim that they will capture just 15% of C02 emissions from the outset, but even this is unproven. Also, Ayrshire Power has not explained how they will either store or transport CO2 in connection with their plans for Carbon Capture & Storage.
The plans will have an adverse impact on public health, due to waste products, emissions, noise and air pollution. The proposed site will damage a significant part of a Site of Special Scientific Interest and an important bird habitat. Ayrshire Power’s claims that no upgrades will be required for either road or rail are not plausible. The local infrastructure cannot cope with a plant of this size being built or for the need to transport 860,000 tons of ash/gypsum off site each year.
The plans will increase the amount of coal (4.6M tons pa) imported from countries such as Colombia where miners and communities suffer from human rights abuses and exploitation. The amount of CO2 from the extraction process and transport of the coal to Scotland is not taken into consideration.
In the Scottish Parliament on March 18th, MSPs voted by 66 votes to 26 in a motion calling on the Scottish Government to reject Ayrshire Power’s plans, and Scottish Ministers should also take note of the wishes of Parliament when they come to consider this application.
We therefore ask that the Scottish Government do the sensible thing, and reject outright this planning application.
For further information on action to take, please visit the CONCH website.
