This article in The Telegraph makes for interesting reading. He warns that an independent Scotland could not rely on selling power to England. Interconnectors between Norway, Ireland and England are being pursued.
It also mentions that a recent poll, by Scottish Renewables and conducted by YouGov shows that 69 per cent of visitors would not be deterred by the presence of a wind farm. That shows that 31 per cent might be!
You also have to ask yourself – how big a group of people was surveyed?! 67% of 20 people asked, 67% of hundreds, or 67% of thousands?
yeah right, where did they get these figures? What colour is the sky where they come from?
The figures can be found here http://d25d2506sfb94s.cloudfront.net/cumulus_uploads/document/vj66wakgzm/YG-Scottish-Renewables-Archive-results-260213-renewable-energy.pdf
You will note it was a survey of 1003 Scottish Adults.
The question was “in your local council area” – and note there is no breakdown by urban vs rural population. Given the scale of Scottish council areas, this is a little skewed.
Of course, all surveys and PR have bias – just as we read them with bias. However, there is a simple truth in the definitive 26% who say it would affect their choice to visit an area: that’s a reduction of 26% in visitor numbers, a 26% reduction in customers and revenue generated by tourist businesses.
I know of no tourist business that can survive a 26% reduction in revenue and remain in existence. So, in practice, this actually means a loss of all the revenue associated with those tourist-based businesses which cannot survive.
Ironically, there will be no commercial tourist amenities for the 69% who say it won’t affect them – clearly it will.
Did the survey ask if the visitors would make a return visit?